Tufton: I don’t know that Dream Weekend broke COVID rules
Published:Thursday | August 12, 2021 | 9:53 PM
Damion Mitchell/Integration Editor
Health Minister Dr Christopher Tufton has described as assumptions claims that COVID protocols were breached at the recently held Dream Weekend party series in Negril, Westmoreland.
Videos from the event showed hundreds of patrons without masks and disregarding the physical distancing guidelines.
“I am not saying they were or were not, the truth is, there is an assumption from public health health's perspective, anyway, that it is difficult to enforce in totality, rules of engagement where you have excess numbers,” the minister said at his weekly COVID Conversation press briefing.
Tufton confirmed that health officials assisted with monitoring the Dream Weekend parties but made it clear that other agencies were responsible for enforcing the protocols and granting the event permits.
He was asked why didn't health ministry officials recommend that the party be shut down from the first day breaches of the COVID protocols were noticed.
The minister said there has been no official report that COVID protocols were breached at the party series.
But according to Tufton, “a lot” would have depended on the organisers as the Health Ministry does not have sufficient personnel to scrutinise and monitor.
“I hold no brief for Dream Weekend… but the reality is that there were many other events that were not as strong in terms of the brand but took place during a period of relaxation that would have been impossible to enforce or to oversee,” he said.
On Monday, the Local Government Minister reported that only 59 per cent of approved entertainment events complied with the stipulated guidelines.
He did not name any of the events that were in breach or outline whether their organisers would be penalised.
The Government is now in a race to contain the third wave of the coronavirus with new curfews imposed on Wednesday as part of a series of responses.
There is also a ban on entertainment events and the Prime Minister has warned that there may be no-movement days if there is no reduction in the rate of new COVID cases.
On Wednesday, Jamaica recorded an additional 375 COVID cases and 14 deaths.
Follow The Gleaner on Twitter and Instagram @JamaicaGleaner and on Facebook @GleanerJamaica. Send us a message on WhatsApp at 1-876-499-0169 or email us at onlinefeedback@gleanerjm.com or editors@gleanerjm.com.