TRELAWNY, Jamaica — Two imported cases of the novel coronavirus in the Bottom Town community of Clark’s Town, who the health officials say have not been observing protocols, prompted the ministry of health and wellness to stage a COVID-19 Sensitisation Walk in the area today.

According to Health and Wellness Minister Dr Christopher Tufton, who was among the health workers in the community, the sensitisation walk became necessary following an assessment by the medical team after it became apparent that these individuals were walking around in the community.

“We felt that we need to come in because the information on the ground is that the persons who were so affected, were going through the community, going to functions, interacting with people and so the risk assessment required an intervention that would come into the community [and] do surveillance, interact with a number of homes, citizens, do some samplings, do some temperature checks, [and] gather information and then make a determination to see to what extent, if any, there has been any spread in the community,” Dr Tufton explained.

The infected people have since been removed and are in isolation at a government facility.

The minister said more of this type of intervention will be done in the future as the country opens up its ports of entry.

“People need to understand, one, they must follow, and two, if they don’t, you are going to get increase risk and thirdly, where you so have a presence of COVID, we are going to have to come in as health teams and we are going to have to cordon off a section of the community, visit all of the homes, [and] do the surveillance. It is a lot of work, and many times it could be avoided if persons respect and abide by the protocols. We cannot overemphasise the need to stick to the protocols and it is going to become the new norm,” Dr Tufton explained.

According to Medical Officer of Health for the Trelawny, Dr Diahann Dale, there are 10 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the parish.

“Two are almost recovered, still in isolation, [but] will soon be classified as recovered, and all the others have recovered some time now,” Dr Dale disclosed.

Anthony Lewis