Opposition leader in St Vincent wants ban on flights, end to at-home COVID isolation
Published:Wednesday | February 3, 2021 | 3:25 PM
KINGSTOWN, St Vincent, CMC – Leader of the Opposition Godwin Friday has called for a 28-day ban on flights into the country and for an end to at-home isolation for local COVID-19 patients.
In his contribution to the budget debate in the National Assembly on Tuesday, he said such measures are needed to avoid the COVID-19 situation worsening.
As of Tuesday, the country had recorded 1,059 cases of COVID-19, including 910 cases detected since December 28 which included residents with no recent travel history.
Two persons have died and 275 have recovered from the viral illness, leaving 782 active cases.
“I don’t want to see it get any worse. I made two suggestions, which I think are eminently reasonable and sensible. We cannot deal with what’s happening internally, if you continue to compound the problem with people coming in and using up resources that we don’t have, for quarantining, and for testing, when you have spread in the community, if not community spread,” Friday said.
“Others have taken it very seriously. Why are we being so cavalier about it? Two deaths are not sufficient?”
In his recommendation that government end “this ridiculous and risky policy of isolation at home”, Friday noted that all visitors to the country must isolate at a government-approved facility, even if they test negative for COVID-19, yet locals who test positive are not so required.
“If somebody comes from Pembroke or from Mespo or from anywhere in the country goes to a clinic, tests positive, they tell you to go home and ride it out.
“That doesn’t make sense. That is playing Russian roulette because that will only lead to further spread because the risks of contaminating family and other community members are obviously greater. That needs to end, and especially since there is no follow-up to see how the person gets home.”
“That must be contributing to the current spread, and it must be of some worry to the chief medical officer, and those are the policies that she’s enforcing,” he added.
Friday added that more facilities were needed for people to isolate safely and not risk infecting their family members and friends.
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