Privately owned trucks moving through communities to sensitise the public about COVID-19 and encourage residents to clean around their homes to avoid mosquito breeding. (GP)

COVID-19 messages transmitted via public address systems throughout Barbados’ 11 parishes are being well received.

Director of Public Affairs in the Ministry of Home Affairs, Information and Public Affairs, Patricia Parris, stated: “The response has been very good…. People are commending the effort.”

She said the effort to sensitise the public about COVID-19, the protocols and how they can keep themselves and their families safe during this time without panicking will continue over the next few days between 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m.

During an interview with the Barbados Government Information Service, Ms. Parris explained that nine privately-owned trucks traversed Barbados delivering messages from Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley about staying safe during the period of national pause and using the time to clean around their homes to avoid mosquitoes breeding.

Information on how to access the care packages is also being shared, along with the contact number.

The Director said during the exercise, persons had reached out to the truck drivers giving them information about the help needed by some households and seniors. 

She explained that the trucks moved slowly through the communities to ensure that residents were able to hear the messages. In the case of densely populated communities, the trucks stopped to allow the messages to be played at least twice.

However, she noted that the truck drivers were sensitive to the fact that there may be teachers conducting online classes in some communities and once that was communicated to the driver, they would move on.

The Prime Minister announced last week that Government would use the public address system to communicate the messages in relation to COVID-19 because not everyone could be reached through press conferences and traditional and social media.

Logistics on the ground for the exercise were coordinated by Dalton Tyrone-Lovell. The initiative, which began at the start of the national pause period on Wednesday, February 3, is expected to end on Wednesday, February 17.

julia.rawlins-bentham@barbados.gov.bb

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