Greene warns against COVID-19 recklessness

WESTERN BUREAU:

While applauding a successful first day of operations at the newly opened field hospital in Falmouth, Trelawny, Errol Greene, the regional director of the Western Regional Health Authority (WRHA), is appealing for greater compliance with the COVID-19 health and safety protocols.

In an interview with The Gleaner on Tuesday, Greene seemed relieved that the 36-bed COVID-19 ward, which is on the grounds of the Falmouth Public Hospital, was now up and running after accepting its first six patients.

The WRHA director acknowledged that despite the Ministry of Health’s ongoing public education campaign about COVID-19, reports are still coming in from different parishes about people who insist on disobeying the safety regulations such as the wearing of masks and restrictions on the number of persons in public spaces.

“... We just have to reinforce the message, because if you end up in the hospital, the experience might not be a nice experience at all. If you have to go into isolation, your loved ones cannot come in there and see you,” said Greene.

The Falmouth field hospital, which is valued at J$200 million, is one of four that were built across the island to provide a combined 152 additional bed spaces for the treatment of COVID-19 patients.

The other facilities are located at the St Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Centre, the Spanish Town Hospital, and Mandeville Regional Hospital.

Jamaica has recorded 27,465 COVID-19 cases as at Monday.

St James has the highest number of cases under the WRHA’s jurisdiction at 3,027, followed by Westmoreland with 1,079, Trelawny with 961, and Hanover, 738.

– Christopher Thomas