Manchester residents urged to access free COVID-19 testing after surge in cases

The Manchester Health Services (MHS) is urging residents to access free COVID-19 tests, as the health team intensifies its fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

A Gleaner article today revealed that only five vacant beds are available on the COVID-19 ward at the Mandeville Regional Hospital and only 42 available across south-central Jamaica.

The health authorities say they might have to turn to other parishes for help if the number of positive cases and people requiring hospitalisation keep climbing.

Read: COVID bed space running out in Manchester

Parish Manager for the MHS, Sandia Chambers-Ferguson explained that due to the increase in cases in the parish, the health team has been going to several high risk communities to test residents and conduct sensitisation sessions.

She added that the team has also been conducting door to door visits to engage house holders and business owners and distribute information about the disease.

“I am encouraging residents in the South Manchester communities to come out this week and access the free testing as our team will be in Alligator Pond, Plowden and Cross Keys on Wednesday, February 10, between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. Also, on Thursday, February 11, the team will be in the community of Resource in South Manchester from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. We will also be distributing masks and sanitizers,” Chambers-Ferguson said.

The Parish Manager added that during the third week in February, the health team will be in the communities of Prospect, Old England and Albion in Manchester.

She said residents will be notified as the team goes into the community to engage residents before they conduct the sensitisation and testing sessions.

“It is important to get tested as soon as you begin to experience any of the symptoms associated with COVID-19 such as headache, fever, sore throat, cough, loss of taste and nausea,” she said.

She added that testing is offered daily at the Mandeville Comprehensive Clinic on Race Course Road in Manchester and at the Christiana Health Centre in Christiana, Manchester, every Tuesday and on first and third Thursdays from 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.

In recent weeks, Manchester has emerged as a parish of concern with a spike in COVID-19 cases. As at February 7, the parish had recorded 1,122 of the island’s 17,298 cases since last March, the fifth highest number of cases by geographical region.

On Monday, Jamaica recorded its highest number of COVID-19 cases in a 24-hour period, with 403 cases recorded in the last 24 hours. Manchester accounted for 81 of the new positive cases.

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