Hanover residents ramp up zero tolerance for viral outbreak

With Hanover being the only parish in Jamaica yet to record a case of the coronavirus, residents have stepped up their zero-tolerance policy against the disease.

In an aim to ensure their safety, several residents have formed ‘COVID Free’ groups, erecting sanitisation checkpoints.

Meliesha Nicholson is one of the concerned residents in charge of the Brissett community ‘COVID-Free’ group in Lucea. She and her team have made it their duty to ensure that persons entering or exiting the community are geared in the proper manner to avoid being infected by COVID-19, and also to be properly sanitised.

“Hanover is the only parish in Jamaica without a positive case of the COVID-19 disease, and we as community members want to ensure that it remains that way,” Nicholson stated.

“We have come together as community members living in Brissett, and have decided to keep a lookout for each other, and to ensure the safety of each other from the COVID-19, as best we can.”

More than 1,000 people live in the community, Nicholson said, and any resident who approaches the community gate is subjected to being sanitised.

“Also we are offering washing of hands, distributing of gloves and masks to community members, which have been donated to us by medical workers, and other volunteers.”

Nicholson stated that they started two weekends ago in a quest to keep their community safe. Since last Monday, they have erected a checkpoint leading into their community.

“A local church in the community donated some chairs, a male resident donated this table, while I played my part with this tent, and here were are at our sanitising post,” she said.

The Gleaner has learnt that several other communities in Hanover have adopted the practice of keeping their community free from COVID-19.