LOCAL Government and Community Development Minister Desmond McKenzie says access to the island’s 16 infirmaries and golden age homes is restricted, effective immediately, as part of containment activities related to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19).

A 30-day restriction has also been put in place on receiving new clients into the facilities.

The minister, who was speaking at a special meeting to discuss the response of the ministry, agencies and municipal corporations to COVID-19 yesterday, at the ministry in Kingston, said activities were being coordinated in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and Wellness.

“We are taking measures to safeguard the more than 2,500 residents and staff at these facilities. The restriction on visits to infirmaries is critical and the necessary precautionary measures will be put in place to ensure the safety of all. We are dealing with a population of persons who fall in the category of persons most vulnerable to this disease,” he said.

He added: “Some infirmaries already have [isolation] facilities of that nature, but for those that do not have isolation facilities, we will commence construction immediately, working with the Ministry of Health and Wellness on the guidelines for establishing these facilities.”  

McKenzie said renovation of the May Pen infirmary and the Vineyard Town Golden Age Home will be undertaken to provide additional facilities to house an estimated 133 social cases in the public hospitals.

“Between the Vineyard Town Golden Age Home and the May Pen infirmary, about 45 to 50 bed spaces can be provided. Those facilities need minor work and the funding will be made immediately to undertake the repair work to make these facilities available to these cases coming out of the hospitals,” the minister said.

Additional support, he said, is to be provided by the Jamaica Defence Force (JDF) and the Jamaica Fire Brigade (JFB).

The JDF will provide sanitation support for the infirmaries and golden age homes.

Meanwhile, the JFB will be providing ambulance services in under-served parishes —Trelawny, St James, Hanover, Westmoreland and St Catherine.

McKenzie said private contractors are being engaged to provide this service to the remaining parishes.

 “We are cognisant of the challenges that the persons in our infirmaries face and, therefore, the ministry will endeavour to provide all the medical facilities that will be required,” he added.

The minister also announced that temporary employment for daily sanitation activities at the targeted facilities is to be implemented. Training of front-line staff in infirmaries and golden age homes is to be undertaken as well.

– JIS