…to help curb spread of COVID-19
AS the positive COVID-19 cases in Region 10 continues to increase, the Regional Democratic Council (RDC) is moving towards having more Joint Services ranks present in the various communities to help minimise the spread of the deadly virus in the region.
This is according to the Regional Chairman Deron Adams, who during an interview with the Sunday Chronicle revealed that it has become apparent that hundreds of residents are going about their daily activities without wearing a mask or are not practising social distancing.
Region 10 has recorded 1,343 positive COVID-19 cases since the pandemic started in March 2020, and according to Adams, the growing number is a direct result of the residents’ blatant disregard of the COVID-19 preventative measures in place.
The regional chairman also lambasted business owners for allowing people without masks to enter their establishments, which only encourages the recalcitrant behaviour.
He noted that the RDC intends to take a zero-tolerance stance to prevent the continuous breach of the COVID-19 guidelines and to ensure that all preventative measures are followed to maintain the safety of people in the region.
“We have to bring the police on board, we need to start penalising, whether its business [owners who] encourage people to come into their business place without masks and ensure that these enforcements are in place. We would likely have to put systems in place where we have the police arrest and pass them before the court, but we cannot continue along the same path or else we heading for disaster,” the frustrated regional chairman told this newspaper.
Further, Adams noted that just last week the region’s deputy vice-chairman died from the dreaded disease. As such, Adams is on a mission to ensure that no one else from Region 10 succumbs.
Adams emphasised that Region 10 is not economically stable to withstand any period of lockdown and so the RDC does not envision pushing for one. He noted, however, that should the cases continue to rapidly increase, a phased lockdown could be instituted in an effort to control the spread.
“If we monitor the situation and we still don’t see improvement, then at that point we go to a last resort where we will start doing a phase-by-phase shut down of the region. That is not my first action, we must have a zero-tolerance policy and a stricter enforcement policy on businesses, on whoever else, young people who are breaching these guidelines and putting everyone at risk,” Adams explained.
COVID-19 VACCINATION
Meanwhile, Minister of Health Dr. Frank Anthony during his daily COVID-19 update, indicated that just about 14% of the population of Region 10 has received their first dose of any of the available COVID-19 vaccines.
Region One is leading the country’s vaccination drive as 55.9% of its adult population received the first dose; Region Two stands at 42.4%; 45.7% in Region Three; 47.8% in Region Four; 49.36% in Region Five; 54% in Region Six; 45% in Region Seven; 28.6% in Region Eight, and 43.5% in Region Nine.
Just last week the Regional Health Office in Region 10, in collaboration with the RDC, launched an innovative house-to-house COVID-19 vaccination drive; however, Adams said residents were “resistant” to the drive, and just over 30 people took the vaccine.
“The drive was a very creative idea but it was met with resistance from many persons, but the RHO would have ensured that he had specialists on board to guide and give information to persons there, but while you had about 30 something persons who would have taken the vaccine on that exercise, many persons rejected it and said plainly that they don’t want it,” he said.
The regional chairman noted that the recent allegations made by the Opposition Leader Joseph Harmon about the Russian Sputnik V vaccine has also made persons more apprehensive about the taking the “jab.”
Further, Adams stated that persons are “frustrated” with not being able to get their second doses of the Sputnik V vaccine. Guyana is expected to receive the shipment of the second dose soon, the health minister had said.
“Persons who want to take the second dose of the Sputnik are being discouraged, they are being frustrated because they are turning up for the second dose; the second dose is not in the country and it’s frustrating them, now they are asking [the] question if the deadline has passed by two three weeks and the vaccine is not here, what will happen now.”
Meanwhile, Adams noted that the RDC intends to embark on a COVID-19 education drive to inform residents of the dangers of COVID-19, its preventative measures and COVID-19 vaccination benefits. He noted that the RDC has already started to reach out to churches, youth groups and the Chamber of Commerce for collaboration on the initiative.
