As promised/threatened, the Prime Minister announced this morning that there will be several days of stricter COVID restrictions. The following are the major changes, which apply from DECEMBER 30 through JANUARY 3 (unless otherwise noted):

- With the exception of December 31, there is a curfew from 11:00pm until 5:00am each day. No one is allowed outside during those times;
- On December 31 (New Years Eve), the curfew is from 2:00am until 5:00am;
- All businesses (including restaurants) must be closed by 10:00pm each day EXCEPT AT HOTELS;
- At restaurants and bars, there can be no more than 8 people per table indoors, or 10 people per table outdoors, with proper social distancing;
- Parties and gatherings must be limited to 10 inside or 25 outside, if social distancing can be maintained;
- No live music or DJs, and no music outside or dancing (unless you're from that town in Footloose...);

Again, and as always, many of these restrictions don't apply ON HOTEL PROPERTY, so if you're staying at a hotel or timeshare, please contact them to find out what restrictions, if any, they will have for their guests.

A step in the right direction. Probably should have been in place before Christmas but now is better than later. Still, these are rather large gatherings in Covid times.

Unfortunately the US experienced a HUGE travel surge over Christmas, the purpose of which was most likely to mingle households (generally the reason for holiday travel). This will almost certainly spell trouble. Testing prior to or at arrival will catch some of the new cases, but between Christmas and New Year's festivities I suspect there will be a lot of folks arriving on the island who just aren't far enough advanced with the virus to generate that positive result on arrival. They'll be contagious before they depart and that's not going to help the community spread situation.

I hope that Aruba's leadership and people will do everything they can to protect themselves, each other, and their tourist season.

Sadly, I've cashed in my chips and cancelled my plans to arrive next week. I don't want to arrive in what could be something of a post holiday related sh*tstorm.

2022 it will have to be.