‘No problem’ with school as isolation centre

A senior medical doctor has dismissed concerns over the occupation of coronavirus patients at various buildings across the island, including the Blackman and Gollop Primary School.

Renowned sports physician and general practitioner Dr Adrian Lorde has sought to reassure Barbadians after several individuals publicly expressed opposition to the selection of the Staple Grove, Christ Church school as an isolation centre for COVID-19 patients under the control of the Queen Elizabeth Hospital.

Dr Lorde said: “The Ministry of Health I am sure will fully sanitise before it is handed back over to the Ministry of Education. I would think there would be a period of no less than seven days to two weeks after the last patient would have left and the equipment, to sanitise the area. But I do understand the concerns but I don’t foresee any problem there.”

The athlete’s village being built for the 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympics was earmarked to house COVID-19 patients since the Games were postponed.

Dr Lorde, who is also the vice-chairman of the Regional Anti-doping Agency (RADO), told Barbados TODAY that he did not foresee a problem with patients being allowed to stay at the athletes’ village in Tokyo. In addition, he explained that other countries have been utilising their Gymnasiums as hospitals for COVID-19 patients.

And while he did not see a problem with that either, Dr Lorde said the Sir Garfield Sobers Gymnasium would not have worked because it is home to the National Sports Council and did not have the adequate washroom facilities.

He said: “Other countries have utilised their gymnasium but I know that our gymnasium is being utilised. It doesn’t have the bathroom facility that people would need if you are housing people. Also, it presently hosts a government office.”

morissalindsay@barbadostoday.bb