Health authorities are continuing to monitor the spread of COVID-19 as well as influenza H3N2 cases among the local population.
Chief Medical Officer (CMO), Dr. The Most Honourable Kenneth George, gave an update on both viruses yesterday, as he reminded members of the public to take personal responsibility by employing preventative measures.
He said information received from the Epidemiology Unit showed there were still some challenges with respiratory disease and COVID-19 in Barbados.
Dr. George explained that the COVID-19 positivity rate was just under 20 per cent while the R-effective (rate of transmission), was over one per cent. These figures, he pointed out, indicated that there was still community spread of the virus.
He further noted that persons were not getting tested as frequently as they did during the height of the pandemic and this meant authorities may not have a true picture of the number of cases circulating.
The CMO added that while there was one COVID death recorded within the last seven days, the hospitalisation rate remained low, with those who were hospitalised exhibiting only mild symptoms. He said the virus was not as deadly and did not cause severe illness as it did “during Delta”, but it was very infectious.
“We are indeed facing a double-whammy because we have COVID and we also have the flu circulating, which has increased steeply within the last two months,” he stated, adding that, so far, there were no recorded deaths or hospitalisations for influenza H3N2.
Stating that it was not his intention to dampen anyone’s Christmas spirit, Dr. George assured the public that the Ministry of Health and Wellness would continue to monitor hospitalisations and deaths to determine the severity of respiratory infections.
“Mask wearing still is probably the best method of preventing the spread of respiratory illness. Continue to ensure your hand hygiene is up to scratch. If you are not able to wash your hands, please use your hand sanitisers. The whole idea of physical distancing…those things are still important. However, we recognise that there has been a relaxation in the directives, and as a result, we are expecting persons to take responsibility for themselves.”
Former head of the COVID-19 Monitoring Unit, Ronald Chapman
He said the Ministry had not taken its “eye” off of COVID but continued to run the Emergency Organising Committee and had several systems in place to ensure that the national response to the virus continued.
Former head of the dissolved COVID-19 Monitoring Unit, Ronald Chapman, cautioned that as international travel ramped up at this time of the year, it was imperative that persons safeguarded themselves against respiratory illnesses.
“Mask wearing still is probably the best method of preventing the spread of respiratory illness. Continue to ensure your hand hygiene is up to scratch. If you are not able to wash your hands, please use your hand sanitisers. The whole idea of physical distancing…those things are still important. However, we recognise that there has been a relaxation in the directives, and as a result, we are expecting persons to take responsibility for themselves.”
He continued: “As we continue to work through the issues of COVID, if you are feeling unwell, it is wise to put on a mask; you may not have COVID; you may be suffering with the flu or just the common cold, but all respiratory diseases can be fought with the use of a mask. It is still a measure that can be used extensively to fight COVID and other respiratory disease as we work through the winter season.”
Mr. Chapman reminded individuals that wearing masks was still mandatory in certain circumstances, including on public transport, schools, geriatric hospitals and nursing homes and at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital.