Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley’s address to the nation – February 25, 2021. (PMO)

Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley has once again warned young Barbadians that they are not immune or impervious to COVID-19, as one of their peers is currently hooked up to a ventilator at one of the isolation facilities.

Speaking during an update on the COVID-19 situation tonight, Ms. Mottley reminded young people that they were far from invincible when it came to the coronavirus.

“We have a young person who has been intubated (on a ventilator). And I want to say this because too many young Barbadians feel that they are immune from being able to catch COVID, and far from that, they are very much vulnerable and very much needed to participate in the effort to heed all the protocols.

“So, when your mother or your grandmother, your father, your uncle, your aunt ask you to be considerate and ask you to stay in; ask you to wear the mask; ask you to do certain things, I beg you to cooperate because you’re not only helping them, you may well be helping yourself,” she urged.

Turning her attention to the country’s health care system, the Prime Minister said it was still fully functioning in both the public and private sectors.  

She added that there were enough acute care beds available at the Harrison Point Isolation Facility as well enough outfitted quarantine hotels for persons awaiting test results.

Ms. Mottley said that in addition to the Blackman & Gollop facility and the dedicated nursing home currently being used as additional isolation centres, Government would be utilising hotels as isolation facilities, where COVID-19 positive and asymptomatic persons could be cared for and monitored.

“…when your mother or your grandmother, your father, your uncle, your aunt ask you to be considerate and ask you to stay in; ask you to wear the mask; ask you to do certain things, I beg you to cooperate because you’re not only helping them, you may well be helping yourself.”

Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley

“Many of them are not yet at capacity, but if it becomes necessary, as I told you on the last occasion when I was here we will add more, and more recently to avoid persons with positive results remaining in homes,” she shared.

She said authorities were ensuring that primary contacts of persons who tested positive for the virus would be transferred from overcrowded households to quarantine hotels while they await their test results.

Ms. Mottley also added that improvements were being made when it came to the collection and transportation of patients to isolation facilities.

“We’ve applied all of our resources to be able to improve on the effort of the last few weeks….  We’ve started to do better since [Minister Bostic] spoke on Sunday night, and we will continue to ensure that the Government stays the course on this,” she stated.

The Prime Minister implored Barbadians, however, to assist health officials by providing the correct information needed to contact them.

“In some instances though, I must tell you that people have given wrong numbers, and therefore, the ability to reach them has not always been easy. And I appeal to all who are being tested, please ensure that your contact details that are given to us are accurate and that we can find you as soon as possible,” she said.

melissa.rollock@barbados.gov.bb

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