As the country prepares to move into a new phase of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic—community transmission—Jamaicans are again being urged to do their part by following the established safety protocols and cooperate with health officials conducting contact tracing.

This plea comes from Minister of Health and Wellness, Dr Christopher Tufton, who stressed that

tackling the community transmission phase “is going to require more from the

public in terms of participating in the process as we seek to manage and

control the COVID-19 public health threat”.

Tufton reiterated that staying at home, avoiding

crowds, frequently washing and sanitising hands, and wearing masks in public

are all crucial safety guidelines to which citizens must adhere.

“I know the situation can be overwhelming….  It’s unusual, it represents almost a new normal, the restrictions are difficult for persons who are accustomed to moving around, [and having] economic activities contained. It does require some sacrifice, but the truth is, it’s a sacrifice in the interest of each other—your family members, your community and, indeed, your country,” the Minister emphasised.

He noted that the Government has been

focusing heavily on containment measures in order to reduce the likelihood of

community spread beginning too early, because of the “impact and the

consequences it will have on our hospital services – our beds, our doctors and

our nurses.”

He said: “If we are to beat COVID-19, it is now more

important than ever to recognise that everyone counts and that you must ‘tan ah yuh yaad’ and keep your distance. It is critical

that we all play our part”.