Operation Seek and Save ‘a go’

Government is pushing ahead with its Operation Seek and Save initiative to find people in the community who may be infected with COVID-19.

Hundreds of health officials and volunteers, collaborating with the University of the West Indies, are to be deployed across the island during the two-week lockdown that begins Wednesday.

Prime Minister Mottley said it was aimed at catching the virus as early as possible and enhance the patient’s chances of survival.

She said: “We need to let you know that we will continue now with the project that we started and announced, that Minister [Jerome] Walcott is leading on behalf of the country with the University of the West Indies and that is Operation Seek and Save. This is simply to ensure that we go to every possible household in the country.

“If something is wrong, say it, if something ain’t right shout it, because that’s the only way we are going to know to test you and to be able to serve you at an early stage.”

So far over 400 people had been trained at the UWI even though only 360 were needed, Mottley said.

She also revealed that there were also nine swabbing teams to be boosted to 15.

The Prime Minister said: “Nine teams are not bad but ideally we need to have at least 15 teams into the fields doing swabbing for those persons who are exhibiting some form of symptoms, some form of reaction, not feeling well and who would be subject then to a rapid antigen test. These tests don’t require us to go to the lab in the same way but they do require us to have persons tested and they will get their results relatively quickly.

“It means that other aspects of the system have to be stood up. We have already identified more isolation hotels for those persons whose symptoms are really, really very basic so that we can focus and deliver the quality healthcare that the doctors and nurses are delivering at Harrison’s Point for those who are seriously affected by the virus.”

She called for more volunteers to the programme and also urged Barbadians to cooperate with the officials when they come to their homes.
(randybennett@barbadostoday.bb)