Quarantine and lockdowns are sweeping across the world as countries seek to contain Covid-19 and save lives. Bermuda is now one of those, with the Bermuda Government recently announcing the confirmation of two cases of Covid-19. Inbound flights have been restricted, schools have closed, public transportation has been suspended and workers across the board have been encouraged to work from home where possible.
It is difficult to imagine higher stakes from a human rights perspective — mass interferences with whole populations’ liberties on one side versus the weighty public interest in protecting lives on the other, and all of this against the clock and under the shadow of uncertainty and disorder.
Where do our legal rights fit into all of this and what implications do these sudden and drastic measures have on the citizens of Bermuda?