– as part of proactive measures rolled out by RHEC to tackle COVID-19

ON Sunday, the Regional Health Emergency Committee (RHEC), in collaboration with the Linden Fire Station, executed a sanitisation exercise which saw Republic Avenue, a main thoroughfare in Mackenzie, and the Mackenzie Municipal Market being washed with water, bleach and detergent.

All businesses were closed to facilitate the activity, which was followed by high commendation from residents, business owners and stakeholders.

The activity was funded by the Linden Mayor and Town Council – a major player in the newly formed RHEC – in collaboration with the Linden Fire Station. Linden’s Mayor, Waneka Arrindell, said RHEC will continue to sanitize streets on the Mackenzie shore, before moving to the Wismar Market and Burnham Drive. This will be done as soon as funds are available to facilitate same.

The activity, she said, also sets precedence for individual business owners to sanitise their business spaces as the town, and, by extension, Region 10, practise preventative measures in tackling the pandemic that has already affected eight Guyanese.

Region 10 is deemed a hot-spot region, since it is the gateway to several interior locations that have porous borders, and Lethem, which borders Brazil, that has several cases of the coronavirus.

In addition, there are at least three Lindeners, who traveled to Guyana last Wednesday evening from Barbados, under mandatory quarantine at a Ministry of Public Health facility.

“We are also encouraging residents to sanitise their yards and personal spaces as we try to keep Linden clean,” Arrindell said

RESIDENTS ADHERING

On Saturday, the regional curfew was implemented which saw the residents and business owners in full compliance with the regulations. At 18:00hrs all businesses were closed while supermarkets and pharmacies were closed by 19:00hrs. The streets were also clear of citizens by 20:00 hrs. Giving them a prompt reminder, was the bauxite horn which blew at each of these intervals. This was also replicated in various communities across Region 10 such as Ituni and Kwakwani, which saw residents adhering to the curfew and staying inside.

Arrindell said she was very pleased to see residents and businesses complying. “I was very pleased to see Lindeners willing to support. Lindeners understood the need for the curfew and we also had the radio station keeping them entertained with lively programmes; we had the support from them as well. Now we have to work on implementing social distancing during the day,” Arrindell said, adding that on Monday, members of the RHEC will be visiting businesses to ensure they are adhering to social distancing and sanitisation guidelines.

Some businesses such as Banks DIH Linden Branch, supermarkets and barbershops have already implemented these practices/guidelines.

The Region 10 curfew will last for two weeks, after which the committee will decide whether it should be continued or dropped. The curfew also mandates all restaurants and bars to perform delivery and eat-out services.

Any resident of Region 10 experiencing COVID-19 related symptoms are urged to contact hotline numbers 444-6137 and 444-6127.

The committee had already taken a position to set up quarantine rooms at medical facilities in the region.

The RHEC is expected to meet every 48 hours. It also comprises of sub-committees with responsibility for health, transportation, communication and welfare. Members of the Committee include officials from Linden Mayor and Town Council, the Regional Democratic Council, the Disciplined Services, the Linden Fire Service and the Linden Hospital Complex.