KINGSTON, Jamaica — The South East Regional Health Authority (SERHA) says in light of the public threat posed by the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), its management will be taking containment measures at institutions across the region to reduce the spread of the virus.

The SERHA covers all health departments, health centres and hospitals in the St Catherine, St Thomas, Kingston and St Andrew region including the Linstead Public Hospital, Spanish Town Hospital, Princess Margaret Hospital, Hope Institute, Sir John Golding Rehabilitation Hospital, Victoria Jubilee Hospital, Kingston Public Hospital, National Chest Hospital and Bustamante Hospital for.

The new containment measures include:

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[naviga:li]Only urgent and emergency outpatients will be seen while other patients will be rescheduled;[/naviga:li]

[naviga:li]Only urgent and emergency surgical procedures will be undertaken while other surgical procedures will be rescheduled;[/naviga:li]

[naviga:li]Arrangements are being made through the National Health Fund Pharmacy Department/Drug Serv Pharmacy for patients with chronic non-communicable diseases to have continued access to prescribed medication;[/naviga:li]

[naviga:li]Hospital visits are reduced to once per day, one visit per person, one visitor to a patient;  [/naviga:li]

[naviga:li]All patients with respiratory symptoms will be offered a face mask on entry;[/naviga:li]

[naviga:li]All patients and visitors will be screened on entry to the facilities for respiratory illnesses and fever;[/naviga:li]

[naviga:li]Tents are being set up to help reduce the number of patients at the clinic at any one time;[/naviga:li]

[naviga:li]All training scheduled for Food Handlers, Barbers and Hairdressers’ are suspended until further advised;  [/naviga:li]

[naviga:li]Some services offered by Type I and II health centres are being scaled down. Scaling down might mean rescheduling routine appointments and reducing the number of clinic days.[/naviga:li]

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The SERHA said every effort is being made to reduce overcrowding in the outpatient waiting areas to adhere to recommendations regarding social distancing as outlined by the Ministry of Health and Wellness.