DLP says Gov’t should increase restrictions on movement

The Democratic Labour Party (DLP) says the Mia Mottley administration needs to immediately come to grips with the reality that increased restrictions on movement is the only way to slow the spread of the COVID-19 delta variant, which has already dealt a deadly blow to the country’s economy.

According to the DLP, the government also needs to immediately shift its focus to a national test and trace programme utilizing COVID-19 Rapid Antigen Self-Test Kits.

Below is the full statement from the DLP:

We are all shocked and saddened by the daily Covid-19 deaths and the record-breaking numbers of positive cases. Our health care system continues to be severely burdened, and our medical staff are crying out for help.

The fall out has compromised the quality of care for patients in the isolation facilities across the island. Even the recently implemented home-isolation programme which was designed to alleviate the pressure has been compromised. There are simply not enough medical staff to provide care for those who have been infected with the highly contagious and deadly Covid-19 Delta variant. As a result, new positive cases are waiting days to be collected and assessed.

People whose conditions have worsened from green to amber or red are unable to reach the hotlines. The treatment of non-covid cases is compromised in the public service and will soon slow down in the private healthcare sector.

Acting CMO, Dr. Anton Best, has described the situation as dire. Our positive cases increased by 500 per cent in September from 689 cases in August to 3500 in September. For the first six days in October, we have already recorded 1473 positive cases, 8 deaths and have more than 2000 people in isolation. Our health care system does not have the capacity to deal with these rapidly escalating numbers.

These numbers are a direct result of the refusal of the Mia Mottley administration to implement workable measures to slow the spread of the virus.

Over the last few weeks, the Prime Minister has been too distracted posturing at conferences and fraternizing with delegations who on the same day as their arrival, engaged in several activities without going into quarantine.

The Democratic Labour Party and BAMP have made calls for our travel protocols to be strengthened since August. Nothing has been done. Did the government allow these ineffective travel protocols to remain in place to facilitate the arrivals for UNCTAD?

The Mia Mottley administration needs to immediately come to grips with the reality that increased restrictions on movement is the only way to slow the spread of the Covid-19 delta variant which has already dealt a deadly blow to our economy. The Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued a Level 4 Travel Health Notice for Barbados due to the troublingly high level of Covid-19 in the country. The Mia Mottley administration needs to lead by example and shelve plans for a grand annual conference at the end of this month. Now is not the time for gatherings of any kind.

The government needs to immediately shift its focus to a national test and trace programme utilizing Covid-19 Rapid Antigen Self-Test Kits. Develop the appropriate promotion strategy with guidelines for the effective use of the test kits and steps to taken after negative or positive test results. This would help to quickly identify some of the positive cases which maybe circulating within the communities. The purchase and distribution of these kits would be an effective use of the funds donated to Covid-19 Relief and Recovery (Barbados) Inc.

If the government fails to act immediately, many more Barbadians will unnecessarily celebrate Christmas grieving for loved ones. The Democratic Labour Party is pleading with the Mia Mottley administration to put the lives of Barbadians first. This is the time for operation seek and save. Find the positive cases which are rampant in communities and get them into isolation.

To all Barbadians, we urge you, take personal responsibility to protect yourself from Covid. Save yourself and your family.

Andre Worrell – Vice President, The Democratic Labour Party, Candidate for St. John and Spokesperson for Health, Water & Sanitation.