Ministry steps up COVID prep

As health authorities continue to battle to contain the spread of the highly contagious COVID-19 Delta variant, new clusters have been identified in several communities, while several businesses have reported new cases, forcing some to close their doors.

Just two days after Barbados recorded 92 cases – its second highest in a single day – Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Dr Kenneth George revealed that the Ministry of Health and Wellness had engaged private services to increase its testing in those affected communities and had also boosted its isolation and quarantine facilities.

That testing, which began today, will see persons visiting those communities from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. on weekdays and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekends. Business houses will be visited at agreed times during normal working hours.

“We have identified a few communities of concern and a few businesses of concern and the Ministry of Health is working with some private providers to do that type of testing so that if individuals in Barbados see persons with obviously, the full designated logos moving around in certain communities requesting persons to be tested, that is being sanctioned by the Ministry of Health and Wellness. That is in an attempt to get a better feel of high-risk communities across Barbados,” Dr George said.

The CMO said while the Blackman and Gollop Primary School had already been identified as an isolation facility, the Daryl Jordan Secondary School in St Lucy was also being prepared to join the list of these facilities.

Additionally, Dr George said the ministry had increased the number of quarantine rooms in hotels across the island to 350.

He said there was also the possibility that other sites would be used as isolation and quarantine facilities.

Dr George gave the assurance though that even as the country continued to grapple with a surge in COVID-19 cases, there was no shortage in oxygen.

Some hospitals in Jamaica are reported to have either ran out of medical oxygen or supplies were dangerously low.

However, Dr George said this was not the case in Barbados.

“We have some machines called oxygen concentrating machines which take atmosphere, which has about 21 per cent oxygen, and concentrate that and we have a few of those units at Harrison’s Point and the Ministry of Health is supplementing that by ordering two more of those units to add to our ability to deliver oxygen.

“In addition to that we still use piped oxygen through our systems at Harrison’s Point…so with respect to oxygen there is no shortage of oxygen at this present time,” he said.

Dr George also revealed that Prime Minister Mia Mottley is also planning to meet with faith-based communities in the coming days to help them better understand the new COVID-19 requirements and to hear their concerns.

Meanwhile, Massy Supermarket, the National Petroleum Company and at least one Government-run nursery reported new COVID-19 cases today.

In a notice posted on social media, Massy Stores indicated that its Coverley branch would be closed temporarily after employees there tested positive.

The Child Care Board’s Marion Hall Day Nursery located in Silver Hill, Christ Church, has also been closed until further notice.
(randybennett@barbadostoday.bb)