The temporary quarantine centre set up to receive persons arriving in Barbados from China and other regions impacted by the COVID-19 is ready to be deployed, and can be operational at a moment’s notice.
News of this came yesterday from the Emergency Operations Centre at the Ministry of Health and Wellness, which has been activated to monitor the status of the disease worldwide and its potential impact on Barbados.
Senior Medical Officer with responsibility for surveillance and epidemiology, Dr Leslie Rollock, explained that the centre would receive anyone, who, on arrival at the ports of entry, was screened and determined to have been at high risk of exposure, even though they are asymptomatic.
Other asymptomatic arrivals, considered at low risk, will continue to be self-quarantined at home for 14 days, while anyone arriving with symptoms will be sent directly to the Isolation Unit at Enmore.
She revealed that staffing, materials and equipment had all been identified for the mandatory quarantine centre and while volunteer staff was available to work immediately, others began sensitisation training on Thursday.
Meanwhile, a permanent quarantine facility is now being prepared at the St Lucy District Hospital. Preparations include the transfer of the residents of the hospital to the Geriatric Hospital, and the residents of the Elayne Scantlebury Centre, which is also on the River Bay compound, to the Psychiatric Hospital.
Meanwhile, the number of persons in quarantine at home remained at 13. These persons are visited once a day by public health nurses, who take their temperatures and are followed up later in the day via telephone.
So far, all but one, have remained asymptomatic. The one person, who had a fever last Wednesday and tested negative for the virus, has since recovered. (BGIS)
