AS of yesterday there were no cases of COVID-19, but the assurance has been given that preparations are in place for when, not if, it comes to the shores of Barbados.
Word of this from Senior Health Officer, Dr. Arthur Phillips, along with Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley, as they highlighted some of the preparations that have been set in motion as much as six weeks ago for COVID-19. It was revealed that there were eight suspected cases and all tested negative for COVID-19.
Prime Minister Mottley, with a team of officials, met with media managers at Government headquarters yesterday morning, where she outlined the four-stage approach, with each stage triggering a different action. Barbados is currently in Stage Zero, which means there have been no reported cases. The different stages, with colour coding, will be shared with the public to reduce panic and misinformation, the officials assured.
Dr. Phillips said, “All of our intentions is that Barbados remains in Stage Zero. We continue to enhance our surveillance, sensitisation and engagement of key stakeholders. The Operation Centre has been meeting, the quarantine facility is in a state of readiness, the isolation facility in a state of readiness and our plans are finalised. We have briefed the Department of Emergency Management and we have talked about the National Emergency Operating Committee.”
It was revealed that the country will move to Stage One should there be a confirmed case. Each stage includes detailed triggers and response.
Prime Minister Mottley said clear messaging will be critical at this stage, “especially with the fake news that is going about. The Government really has to take a strong line. Fake news in a non-critical environment is entertainment. Fake news in a critical environment where people’s lives are at stake is criminal. News organisations become more important as the ‘authenticators of what people can trust’”.
The officials stressed that the key at this stage is not to panic. “Panic comes when doubt is created or when people leave space for speculation. I have told the Ministry of Health to come up with colour coding for those who respond better to visual will be able to respond. When you understand this and you understand what all the steps are that each stage is triggered, then people don’t have to worry or panic. So everybody is asking are you shutting down the schools, you will see as Dr. Phillips said, every stage triggers different activities.”
Dr. Phillips explained how this would affect how sick leave is taken in Stage Three. “One of the important things that would need to be triggered to allow individuals not to flood the health system with non-essential ‘issues’ is the whole issue of official sick leave.
“Currently after two days, you need a sick leave form. If we have a situation where there is significant numbers of individuals who are ill, we don’t want individuals who have had mild illness flooding the system to say ‘I need another day or two.’ So one of the interventions that will be done at this stage is intervening with NIS and this has already been raised with the Social Partnership, the idea that there may be need of relaxing of the sick leave requirements, where individuals have to then interface with the health system after only two days when the health system may be focused on individuals who are genuinely ill.”
Prime Minister Mottley revealed that Cabinet agreed on Thursday night that the time given would be seven days rather than five to seven days.
Additionally, it was noted that persons who are ill have been encouraged to stay at home. “... Because I may have mild illness or relatively mild illness which might not be an issue for me, but I may go to work and infect somebody who has conditions that put them at increased risk and therefore that may be an issue.
“The core message from public health officials around the world is that this is a situation, though it is significant, though it is spreading around the world. We have seen good evidence that the impact of the coronavirus can be minimised; that there is potential for containment and control. And I think that is an im-portant message and that certainly is our intention.
“We are following the science. We have not reached the stage of shutting down schools. The Ministry of Education is preparing in the event that that happens,” Prime Minister Mottley said.
“The core messages that we are putting out, are messages around respiratory hygiene, hand hygiene and social distancing,” Dr. Phillips concluded. (JH)