Full disclosure

Minister of Health and Wellness Lieutenant Colonel Jeffrey Bostic is adamant that Barbadians were given all of the information at his disposal regarding a small spike in COVID-19 cases over the weekend, that was eventually linked to a “cluster”.

And today, he along with Minister of Tourism and International Transport Senator Lisa Cummins, re-affirmed their confidence in the country’s existing protocols and monitoring mechanism despite concern from the public.

Barbados TODAY on Monday disclosed troubling details about a breach of quarantine protocols involving at least one visitor from the United Kingdom that resulted in a small COVID-19 cluster on the West Coast.

Following a number of questions from Barbados TODAY, Chief Medical Officer Dr Kenneth George confirmed the existence of the “cluster”. Further investigations revealed a possible breach of quarantine protocols involving a U.K guest, raising questions particularly on social media about why Bostic had not disclosed more details during his address to the nation on Sunday.

When questioned about the matter on Tuesday, Bostic, however, replied: “At the time, we were dealing with 14 cases over a period of two days, and I indicated that there was a particular situation… that was under active investigation and that once we have all the information, and if it warranted us coming back to the press and to the country to speak to that particular situation that we would have done so.

“I did state that there were three persons and a family and obviously that there would have been contact tracing in relation to that particular situation and at that time, there was no telling what the results of the contact tracing would have been.

“So I could not give any specifics. I subsequently indicated that all of the persons identified through contact tracing were tested, all tests have come back negative and those persons remain in quarantine until we conduct a second test,” the health minister explained.

During Tuesday’s press conference, questions were also raised about the UK’s new, more transmissible strain of COVID-19, as well as Barbados’ decision to continue welcoming visitors from that region.

Concern has also been raised on social media about recent gatherings, including a party in the area of First and Second Street in Holetown, St. James where partygoers in the country’s tourist belt were not observing physical distancing or wearing masks.

Nevertheless, Minister Bostic, after assessing the recent developments, declared there is no need to increase the harshness of existing protocols.

He, however, stressed: “Rules apply across the board to everyone on this island, but I’m sure you would appreciate that our officials cannot be everywhere at every time and so we depend on members of the public to report when they see situations that they think should not be happening.

“We investigate, and we have people from the monitoring unit who are going around and checking on things and trying to keep things stable, but at the same time, as I have said from the beginning back in January and February, this requires an all-of-country approach,” Bostic added.

In response to the shared concerns, Senator Cummins noted that after discussions with all of the relevant stakeholders, she too is confident that the dreaded virus can be contained.

“We spent a significant amount of time at the Ministry of Health, the Barbados Hotel and Tourism Association, with all of the hotels, with the COVID-19 monitoring unit led by Mr. Ronald Chapman going over what is required of hotels on property. We have also ensured that there is rapid engagement and the Ministry of Health leads that,” said Senator Cummins.

Nevertheless, she urged employers and workers at West Coast properties: “If you are concerned that a person who is on property is not wearing a mask, or that some person who is on quarantine is engaging in activity that they ought not to be, say something.

“And that is the role to be played by all of us because we have a collective responsibility to keep our country and our people safe. Certainly, if there was a challenge, the Ministry of Health, through our enforcement unit has not failed to act, when warranted,” the tourism minister added. (KS)