MINISTER OF HEALTH Jeffrey Bostic last night warned shoppers, hoteliers and businesses ahead of the frenzied last days of Christmas preparation in a COVID-19 environment and against a background of 14 new cases in the last two days.
“As we get set to commence this week of Christmas preparations, I urge each of you to be on your guard. Already in the past 24 hours we have heard of eight new cases and, as Minister of Health and Wellness, I have the authority to notify you that already today we have confirmed six additional cases. Three of these involving a single non-Barbadian family. There are potential developments related to that particular series of screenings, and these will be relayed to you, if the situation warrants,” he stated in a prime time Christmas address carried on radio, television and social media.
Bostic was speaking a day after UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced a lockdown of several areas there to combat a rapidly spreading strain of the coronavirus, a move that is likely to have an impact on Barbados’ winter tourist season. Bostic said the next eight to 12 weeks will be testing with the opening of our ports to air and cruise traffic.
“It is expected that our surveillance and testing will pick up more cases. We must continue to be ever vigilant and not drop our guard. It is therefore important that every Barbadian plays his or her part and cooperate with public health officials so as to ensure that we do not have local or community spread, especially during the Yuletide season,” Bostic said. (AC)
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