Last patients released, 35 days after last case

For the first time in three months, Barbados is COVID-19 free, Minister of Health and Wellness Lieutenant Colonel Jeffrey Bostic declared Friday morning.

The first cases of the deadly coronavirus respiratory illness were reported here on March 27, leading to a nationwide shutdown and the imposition of a curfew.

To date, seven of the 97 people who tested positive for the respiratory illness have died.

But a broadly smiling and upbeat Health Minister also told Barbadians that not only had it been over a month since  the last case, but that all patients in isolation have now been discharged.

This, he said, meant there were no known live cases of COVID-19 in Barbados.

The Minister declared: “The good news is that we are now on day 35 without any local transmission of COVID-19 and even better news, all persons who were in isolation have been discharged so there are no confirmed cases that we are treating at the isolation facility at Harrison’s Point.

“Also important is the fact that all persons who were repatriated on flights from the United States and United  Kingdom and Canada have been discharged from quarantine and this is indeed good news.”

The Minister thanked citizens for supporting Government throughout the last three months.

He said without their support those achievements would not have been realized.

“But this good news did not happen just like that. In spite of all of the support, the financial and other support and the leadership of the Prime Minister and Cabinet,” said the Health Minister. “In spite of the all-of-government approach, we could not have reached this point unless we had the cooperation and support of the ordinary Barbadian.

“This is what really made the difference. You collaborated. We asked you to embark on a journey you had never taken before for the most part.

“Most Barbadians never experienced a curfew, never experienced isolation, solitude, deprivation; all of these were required and a level of discipline for us to be able to reach where we have reached today, so I’m saying a big thank you on behalf of the Government of Barbados to all Barbadians for your cooperation and your support.

“This is one of those situations where our destiny is not in the hands of any foreign government. Our destiny is in our hands. When we come together, when we work together, when we cooperate, we will be strong, and so I say we’ve done well but let us not become complacent.

“Let’s continue to be our brother’s keeper and look out for each other and I’m sure we can ride out any storm that comes our way.”
randybennett@barbadostoday.bb