It has not been business as usual for home helpers working at the National Assistance Board (NAB) since six office staffers tested positive for COVID-19. Meanwhile the public is asked to stop discriminating against these workers out in the field.
Acting General Secretary of the National Union of Public Workers (NUPW) Delcia Burke told members of the media this morning that home helpers who have been asked to report to work while office employees go into mandatory quarantine, have been facing these issues of discrimination as they go about their duties.
Burke called on the Ministry of People Empowerment and Elder Affairs to speak out on the issue to allay the public’s fears and those of the helpers.
“Some of them have said they went to work on Monday and have faced discrimination from the public. Persons have asked them not to come into their houses and have shut down the houses when they see them coming and some of them have told them ‘we will take care of our families ourselves’,” Burke said.
While six members of NAB’s staff, including one home helper, recently tested positive for COVID-19, it was reported that the office staff that operate from the Board’s Country Road, St Michael headquarters, and their family members, would go into a mandatory 14-day quarantine.
However, Burke said there seems to be confusion regarding whether home helpers should also be on mandatory quarantine.
She has asked the ministry to clear the air about the position with the home helpers who make up about 170 of the 255 NAB staff.
“We were told that all of the workers, once they were positive they would go into isolation and if they were negative they would go into quarantine.
“But the home helpers, even though one of them has tested positive, they have been asked to report to work. That is not the union’s understanding as to what should have happened.
“The workers are complaining that they are not hearing anything from the management at NAB or from their ministry. I think they feel a little discriminated against. The [office] staff has been taken to a hotel but those workers are asked to go out to work,” Burke said.
NUPW’s President Akanni McDowall said the union was simply asking for the ministry to provide the workers with information.
He said under normal circumstances the NUPW would have held a meeting with workers to discuss their concerns, but has been unable to do so due to the social distancing protocol established to contain the spread of the virus.
“The Press is very important at this time. The Press is going to be critical to ensuring that the workers receive the necessary information in a timely manner,” McDowall said.
Meanwhile, Press Secretary to the Prime Minister Roy Morris confirmed this evening that all 236 members of the NAB have been tested for COVID-19 and no additional positive results have been recorded.
In a statement, Morris said that officials of the Ministry of Health and Wellness are advising Barbadians, particularly elderly and incapacitated persons who depend on personnel from the Home Help Service for assistance, that they have nothing to fear while interacting with these workers.
“Acting Chief Medical Officer Dr. Kenneth George explained that personnel from the Ministry of Health had been engaged in rigorous contact tracing since the first case was discovered and they were now satisfied there was no additional threat to the public,” the statement said.
Dr George explained that after the completed course of testing there remained five cases among office staff of the NAB headquarters, which had been traced to one member who had come into contact with a family member with a travel history.
Investigations showed that the one non-office staffer, a home helper who tested positive, had come into contact with one of the members of the office staff. As a result of intensive tracing of this helper’s case, including testing of one individual and family members, Dr George explained that there was no need for any fear among clients of the service.
“The Ministry of Health and Wellness’ position is that our elderly and vulnerable face no threat of COVID-19 by interacting with home helpers or the other members of staff who provide at-home services. Of course, the public can be assured that if there is a change in circumstances, we will be frank and honest with them,” Dr George said.
anestahenry@barbadostoday.bb
