Gov’t to reintroduce COVID-19 protocols

KINGSTOWN (CMC):

The St Vincent and the Grenadines government says it is reintroducing the COVID-19 protocols announced on April 7, but which seemed to have fallen by the wayside with the explosive eruption of La Soufriére two days later.

However, unlike before the eruption, students who have returned to the physical classroom now have to present a negative antigen test result, or be tested for the illness, once given consent by their parents.

Acting Prime Minister Montgomery Daniel did not say what would happen if students do not have a negative test result and their parents do not consent to the test.

Speaking on the radio station owned by the ruling Unity Labour Party over the weekend, Daniel said that officials from the health ministry who attended last Thursday’s cabinet meeting had expressed concern at the spread of COVID-19 here.

He said that the government will be enforcing the protocols, which also clamp down on mass gatherings and demand face masks in public places as well as private places to which the public has access.

Among other things, the protocols call for unvaccinated teachers to present a negative COVID-19 test, or be denied entry to the school compounds. Further, those teachers who are unvaccinated and present a negative test will be tested up to once every two weeks.

Daniel said that the testing of teachers and students will be done “on a two week basis, by and large.

“Of course, you may well find that some students may not be tested more than once per month. But it is very, very much important that the testing be done if the vaccination is not in place,” the acting prime minister said, adding that it was “real stunning” hearing that the island had gone past the 2,000 COVID-19 cases mark.

He said health officials said that 64 per cent of transmissions occur in homes.

According to government statistics, on Saturday, 13 new COVID-19 cases brought to 2,027 the total number of cases of the virus confirmed here since March 2020.

The country has recorded 12 COVID-19 deaths while 1,831 people have recovered from the illness and 184 cases remain active.