Barbados makes major strides in COVID-19 fight

Barbados continues to make major strides in its COVID-19 fight with its positivity rate falling to 0.5 per cent in recent days, but Minister of Health and Wellness Lt Col, Jeffrey Bostic said authorities are concerned that school children are not following protocols when they leave the premises of their respective institutions.

Bostic told Barbadians during a COVID-19 update press conference on Saturday that even though the country only recorded 15 positive cases between May 22 and June 4, he was concerned about the few cases emerging among school students, which may be linked to students breaking protocols when mixing with their peers after school hours, particularly as they travel home.

Bostic said: “Our main area of concern today is the fact that we have another case in a secondary school. You would have heard over the last couple of weeks that we would have been having some single cases in primary and secondary schools and also government schools, as well as private schools. And so today, as a result, of a developing family cluster of about three persons so far, we have had one positive student from the Lester Vaughn Secondary School.

“And because of the aggressive contact tracing that started yesterday, we have been able to make some determinations in terms of the primary contacts and we have learnt for example that there was some exposure at another government school because of post-school interaction between the positive case and students of another secondary school. We are on top of this situation and all persons are being tested today once they all turn up today”.

The Minister said that while the positive case at the secondary school is not a major concern as it relates to the general school population, an aggressive investigation process is taking place.

Bostic, who commended students for cooperating with COVID-19 protocol, including the wearing of masks and social distancing, said he was generally satisfied that students have been following the rules and guidelines while on the school compounds.

However, the Minister said authorities were having a challenge tackling post-school activities and interactions, which creates the perfect environment for COVID to thrive.

In fact, Bostic indicated that he himself has observed students and bus sheds and bus stops, where as many as 40 students are waiting for public transportation not wearing masks and not observing the social distancing protocol.

“This is why I want to speak to you, students. It is vitally important that you do this especially when you are not being monitored at school. So in the preschool period and in the post-school period when you are taking transportation this is extremely important. Why am I saying this to you? I am doing this because we all know, and we experienced it back in late December early January that with our very best efforts sometimes a case gets away”.

“And because of not following the protocols, you can really cause a spread that would make life difficult for us to be able to contain it. I am appealing to you, in your communities students, in the private transportation, at the bus stops when you know that the teachers are not around or the school monitors, we are counting on you to do the right thing and counting on parents to ensure that students, that their charges, do the right thing,” he said.

The Minister of Health also reported during the press conference that Barbados now has 81 000 plus people who have received the first dose of their COVID-19 vaccination, while 61 000 plus have received their second dose.

Bostic said this was an important achievement for Barbados against the reality that authorities in other countries are facing a difficulty where persons are not returning for their second dose.

“We are seeing something completely different in Barbados and we are very thankful for this. Congratulations. Thank you Barbadians. Thank you for coming forward to be vaccinated. Those of you who have not yet been vaccinated, I can only encourage you to do so and I tell you don’t hesitate, vaccinate,” he said. (AH)