Prime Minister’s address to the nation – December 31, 2020. (PMO)

Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley is urging parents to talk to their children about COVID-19. 

The appeal came today as she updated Barbadians on the status of COVID-19, from Ilaro Court, and announced the country would go on pause from December 31 to January 14, to allow public health workers to undertake aggressive contact tracing and testing of persons who might have come into contact with five Barbadians, diagnosed among the 10 COVID-19 positive cases reported today.

The five are two males, aged 18 and 37 from Christ Church; two males aged 28 and 43 from St. James; and a 48-year-old female from St. Thomas.

While announcing steps which the country would be taking to manage the situation, Prime Minister Mottley said: “I want to talk to some parents too. You need to talk to your children… because the most natural thing is for children to believe that the world begins and ends with a fete, or the world begins and ends with a lime, or the world begins and ends with just being with your friends and doing as you like.

“You will get that chance again and I am going to be on the front line with you when that time comes again – when we have COVID-19 behind us, when we have the majority of people who need to be vaccinated behind us; when the world is literally putting COVID in a box for good. But until such time, you do not take foolish risks and I want to remind you that the person who may be most affected may be the person that you love.”

Ms. Mottley, who further stressed she was asking the country to allow us to go through this period in order to “keep the ship stable” going forward, added that persons should act in moderation and wear their masks; sanitise their hands, and keep a social distance of three to six feet.

“I am asking you to ask your children and I’m talking about people from all across the island; I’m talking about people from all economic backgrounds, all races, all gender, everybody. We are in this together and, whatever else you do pause, not panic!” she stated.

Meanwhile, speaking to lessons learnt from 2020, Ms. Mottley said it has taught us that regardless of how much money people may have, where they live; and what they do that they have to take care of themselves.

joy-ann.gill@barbados.gov.bb

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