– As lockdown extended for another week

By Vishani Ragobeer

RESIDENTS of St. Cuthbert’s Mission are taking all possible precautions to safeguard themselves from the COVID-19 virus, according to Toshao Beverly Clenkian, who confirmed that the Ministry of Health (MoH) has extended the community’s lockdown for another week.

On Sunday, via a telephone interview, Clenkian told the Guyana Chronicle that testing is conducted daily in the village benab, which is an open space that allows for persons to maintain the advisable distance from each other.

“They go and do testing even if they’re not showing symptoms,” the Toshao said. “Everybody wants to know their status, so they go to get tested all the time.”

According to the MoH, 247 persons from the only indigenous community located in Region Four tested positive for the virus, out of some 650 tests. According to recent reports, 117 persons have recovered, while 130 remain in isolation.

Once positive patients meet the 10-day asymptomatic deadline, they are discharged. Minister of Health Dr. Frank Anthony said in a recent interview that many of the cases are asymptomatic.

This community went into a 14-day lockdown from November 7, 2020, after several teachers and healthcare workers tested positive for the deadly virus. The community began testing residents on November 1, when one member who travelled out of the community was tested positive.

This lockdown was imposed to help curb the spread of the disease; similar lockdowns have been carried out in other communities where significant pockets of COVID-positive cases were recorded.

The lockdown at St. Cuthbert’s Mission was supposed to have been lifted on Friday last, but given that there is still a significant number of active cases, this has been extended for another week.

MANAGING COMPLAINTS

Expectedly, the travel restrictions have disrupted the livelihoods of some residents in the community and the Toshao disclosed that she has been receiving numerous complaints daily.

“Basically, the workers are complaining…they have to return at a certain time but what I’m doing is that I make sure they are tested and once they are tested, they are allowed to work,” Clenkian explained.

These workers would usually travel to the interior communities for working, primarily in the mining sector.

Recently, it was reported that if persons were tested negatively for COVID-19, they will be allowed to leave. It is advisable, however, that they do not leave the community. The Joint Services are still in the community to enforce the lockdown along with two doctors and a nurse, who are monitoring COVID-19-positive patients.

For persons who are returning to the community after working in the interior for some time, they are required to produce a negative test result to the workers in the villages, according to the toshao.