As residents of the northeast town of Annotto Bay emerged from their homes at the end of a 14-day quarantine, there are calls for caution amid the new-found freedom.

Three St Mary communities – Dover, Annotto Bay, and Enfield – were placed under lockdown with military support after a spike in coronavirus infections in the parish.

Yesterday’s sense of relief contrasted with the clampdown on movement imposed on the morning of May 7 when security forces swooped down on Annotto Bay and the other towns.

“We have learned a valuable lesson,” said a resident of Annotto Bay, who gave his name as David Miller.

The ending of the quarantine saw the return of street vendors to Annotto Bay and the reopening of commercial businesses, along with the return of taxis and minibuses assigned to various routes.