A task force has been assembled to help the island’s most vulnerable people weather the Covid-19 storm, the Premier said tonight.

David Burt added that the Government’s first course of action “was to identify the impact and determine what is required to maintain the level of community outreach that has come to be expected from already vulnerable persons”.

He added: “To complete this a small, knowledgeable group of volunteers are coordinating with all of the volunteer agencies and religious organisations around the island.”

Mr Burt said that 3,320 prepared meals were being delivered each week, 44 people were given shelter every night between two organisations, and 665 mental and physical health counselling sessions were being run by seven groups.

He added that drug and addiction counselling services were being provided by two organisations and that one group was focused on giving safety advice to victims of domestic violence and sexual abuse.

Mr Burt said that medication was being handed out to 1,175 people by five organisations.

He added: “Once these community outreach programmes have been stabilised, the next step is to understand what it will take to amplify these services by each of the voluntary organisations.”

Mr Burt said that the public works ministry would provide staff and transport resources to help deliver services in an “efficient, timely and safe manner”.

He added that the Government’s communications department was “working to make sure every demographic in Bermuda has access to the information provided by Government”.

Mr Burt highlighted that the emergency broadcast station on 100.1FM would give updates on Covid-19 between 12pm and 1pm and 5pm to 6pm from Monday to Friday.

CITV, the Government’s television station, will continue to screen Government broadcasts live.

The information will also be available on Facebook, YouTube and the Government website at www.gov.bm.