People who are out of work after contracting COVID-19 were told Friday a solution is coming that will ensure sick benefit payments by the National Insurance Scheme (NIS).
Consultant Manager of Home Isolation Dr Adanna Grandison confirmed on Friday that authorities were nearing the implementation of a digital payment system that would allay the fears of those not being paid for the period they are out of work due to the COVID-19 virus.
“I know there are a lot of persons who are concerned about NIS claims at this point, but I want to reassure you that we are moving towards an automated electronic format to provide you with the NIS form that you will need to ensure that you get your claim and you are able to be comfortable,” said Dr Grandison.
“I know this is quite a difficult time for those who are in isolation, they are concerned about how their needs will be met and I want to reassure you this evening we are looking into that and it will be resolved.”
Employees who have contracted the coronavirus must be placed on sick leave and it is through that means that their employers would not pay them and they would be paid by the NIS instead, once they file the claim.
But only a public health officer can issue the sick certificate since they are the ones directly involved in the quarantine and isolation procedure.
Dr Grandison, who addressed the issue during a media conference, also noted that officials were continuing to build capacity to help manage the growing numbers in COVID-19 cases.
She said: “We are in the last phase of actually retrofitting what we are calling our ‘red bus’. This is a bus essentially that is able to sit six persons who require oxygen so that in the event we need to transport more than one person.”
This information comes as Dr Grandison pleaded with those in home isolation to obey the requests of the health professionals who refer them for further testing or treatment and monitoring at the Harrison’s Point facility.
She said she was concerned that some people were refusing to be transported to the St Lucy isolation facility when they were referred to get medical attention there.
Dr Grandison told journalists: “I know a lot of persons can bear witness to the fact that sometimes we may not have all of the ambulance provisions we may need and so we thought it necessary especially for COVID positive patients to provide them with an additional mode of transportation that they can get safely from home to the central isolation facility. We are days away from that red bus actually starting to provide service to the public.” (MM)
