Portland keen on keeping COVID-19 numbers low
Published:Tuesday | April 28, 2020 | 12:21 AMJudana Murphy/Gleaner Writer
Picking out their own produce at the market was part of their shopping ritual Calvin Renford and his wife relished, but with the onset of COVID-19 locally, the couple has to now explore new means of grocery shopping.
They reside in Breastworks, Portland, one of the three communities in the northeastern parish which falls on the health ministry’s radar as Lorenzo Hume, the parish’s chief public health inspector, revealed on April 9. Spring Bank and Hector’s River round out the list.
At that time, five people had tested positive for the deadly coronavirus in the parish, with Hume expressing concern that at least 1,000 residents could be at risk of being infected by asymptomatic carriers the virus, which causes the COVID-19 respiratory disease. The parish has seen an additional two cases since.
Renford, a retired teacher who falls in the at-risk group by virtue of being a senior citizen, said that while he is not overly worried about contracting the virus, he has been taking the necessary precaution.
He was speaking with The Gleaner last week, after making a short trip to Port Antonio, donning his protective face mask.
“I phoned someone and asked them to purchase the things for us, so I called him and found out that it was ready. I went down, paid him and collected the bags right at the market gate, then I rode my bicycle back up to the house,” Renford explained.
Compliant with curfew
In Spring Bank, Camile Myrie said fellow residents have been compliant with the 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. curfew order and many persons only leave the community to conduct essential business.
Meanwhile in Hector’s River, residents saluted the family of a COVID-19 patient who has since recovered.
“He quarantined himself, and his wife nor anybody never catch it. Nobody nah scorn nobody or anything down here, but we always a look out for strange people weh come in the area,” Windel Manning explained.
He added that fear of contracting the virus is minimal in the area and most residents wear masks or handkerchiefs to cover their nose and mouth.
Another resident, Winston Wallace, said the community is keen on preventing an outbreak.
“If we know or if we hear [of any outsiders being in the area], no matter who the person is, we are going to put it to the police ‘cause we nuh want it to knock up our area,” Wallace said.
Up to yesterday, one of Portland’s seven COVID-19 patients had recovered while one passed away.