COVID closes health ministry HQ - Tufton, Bryan test negative but PS, others quarantined
Published:Friday | April 17, 2020 | 12:24 AMRomario Scott/Gleaner Writer
The New Kingston head offices of the Ministry of Health and Wellness have been ordered closed after an employee charged with response to the COVID-19 pandemic has tested positive for the novel coronavirus.
The identity of the worker, who has been hospitalised, has not been disclosed.
Health Minister Dr Christopher Tufton confirmed to The Gleaner that he and Permanent Secretary Dunstan Bryan tested negative for the virus. However, Bryan, it is understood, will remain in quarantine because he was a contact of the positive patient. Other ministry staff have also been ordered to quarantine at home.
Bryan will remain as permanent secretary and work remotely, primarily engaging in meetings by Zoom.
Health experts say symptoms of the disease could last up to two weeks after infection.
Tufton sought to urge calm among head office personnel in a letter issued to staff last night.
“I want you to know that it is not lost on me that many of you may feel scared, anxious and worried by this news. This is perfectly normal,” he said.
The reaction of the staff at the ministry is unknown, but news of the positive result is bound to send them into a tailspin as details of how the worker contracted the virus are yet to be determined.
Workers at the health ministry are being asked to immediately contact supervisors so that risk assessment can be done.
Counselling for staff members is being arranged, and the ministry is moving to commence contact tracing of the individual.
The buildings to be closed include the RKA Building – 10-16 Grenada Way, Kingston 5; the Masonic Building – 45-47 Barbados Avenue, Kingston 5; the Bevad Limited Building – 10A Chelsea Avenue, Kingston 5; and the ARC Building – 24 Grenada Avenue, Kingston 5.
They are to remain closed until Monday to allow for a sanitisation exercise.
The ministry’s National Health Emergency Operation Centre, which has been managing the national response to COVID-19, will continue to operate, and functionaries will work remotely and/or work from the centre as required.
The latest scare comes on the heels of the ministry launching an investigation into the circumstances that led to a surge in cases of the novel coronavirus that has been linked to the operations of a call centre in Portmore, St Catherine.
More than 50 infections have been traced to Alorica.
Coronavirus infections in Jamaica have climbed to 144 since the initial report on March 10.
The ministry had previously reported that one health worker, aged 45, had tested positive.
Tufton's letter to staff
Dear Ministry of Health and Wellness Family, Today I learned that a member of our team tested positive for COVID-19. While it is unknown when the team member contracted the virus, as a precautionary measure, I have instructed that the following Ministry of Health and Wellness offices be closed until Monday April 20, 2020 so that sanitisation exercises can be carried out.
● RKA Building - 10 -16 Grenada Way, Kingston 5
● Masonic Building - 45-47 Barbados Avenue, Kingston 5
● Bevad Limited Building - 10A Chelsea Avenue, Kingston 5
● ARC Building - 24 Grenada Avenue, Kingston 5
In the interim, I am asking each and everyone of you to contact your direct supervisor so that risk assessment can be done immediately.
I want you to know that it is not lost on me, that many of you may feel scared, anxious and worried by this news. This is perfectly normal, however, I ask that you remain calm and follow the protocols - STAY AT HOME, TAN AH YUH YAAD AND KEEP YUH DISTANCE while closely monitoring your family and friends who you may have come in contact with, to see if they display any of the common signs and symptoms of the virus (fever, dry cough and shortness of breath) .
Always remember, that we must not surrender to fear and we must support each other in order to overcome this challenge together.
We are a team and we shall win as a team. I am privileged to be with you in this struggle.