Longville Park moves to restrict COVID-19 spread
Published:Wednesday | October 21, 2020 | 12:07 AMCecelia Campbell-Livingston/Gleaner Writer
Special measures will take effect in the community of Longville Park in Clarendon as of today as stakeholders move to prevent a massive COVID-19 outbreak among its 12,000 residents.
The community was recently placed on the radar for its rising numbers of active COVID-19 cases as it led the parish with eight. The figure has now moved to 12 active cases, with four of those being healthcare workers who live in the scheme.
“The two community centres will be closed as well as access to the two playing fields. We have also enlisted the assistance of the police to ensure the necessary protocols are being observed by the taxi drivers working in the scheme,” Everoy Thomas, vice president in charge of health and wellness for the Community Development Committee (CDC), said during a virtual meeting on Sunday attended by political leaders, health and other officials as well as more than 200 residents.
Medical officer of health for Clarendon, Dr Kimberly Scarlett Campbell, called for a united approach by taxi drivers, business operators and residents to stave off an outbreak.
With 39 overall cases since March, Longville Park has now surpassed Sandy Bay as the leading community in confirmed COVID-19 cases in the parish.
“The good news is that the majority of patients have recovered – 26 – and of the five healthcare workers, one has recovered, so there are four active cases [among healthcare workers] and eight others who are active in the community,” Scarlett Campbell said.
She urged residents not to delay in contacting the health centre if they are feeling ill.
“We have to ensure that we educate the over 12,000 of you of the three messages of COVID – handwashing, mask wearing and maintaining social distances,” she stressed.
Thomas told The Gleaner that the association would now be embarking on a massive sensitisation and enforcement campaign with the support of the Clarendon Health Department, Member of Parliament Pearnel Charles Jr and the police.