CDC commences distribution of relief hampers amid COVID-19 pandemic

The Civil Defence Commission (CDC) commenced its national mobilisation of resources that will support vulnerable persons and communities during the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic on Sunday.
The initiative was conducted at Plastic City on the West Coast of Demerara and Tiger Bay in Georgetown.

Director General of the CDC, Lieutenant (Lt) Colonel Kester Craig explained that as part of the distribution initiative, the organisation will be going from house to house in targeted communities.
This is in light of the month-long emergency measures instituted by the Public Health Ministry in the fight against COVID-19.
According to Craig, residents are being encouraged to look out for the CDC teams and once they indicate that they would accept the hamper, it would be left at their gate or front door.
The hampers will consist of food and cleaning essentials and the most vulnerable communities across the country will be targeted first.

Craig said that the CDC will be going house to house in the targeted communities. “To ensure social distancing, there will be no face to face interaction between the CDC officials and the citizens they will be supporting,” the release said.
The Director further said: “We are going to be blowing our horns and coming through the streets and the supplies are going to be left at the gate. We are asking that the residents wait until we would have removed from directly in front of their house to pick up the supplies.
The supplies are expected to last through the one month, however, larger families will receive additional supplies once the numbers are pooled.
The Commission has also urged persons or businesses who are willing to make donations to do so at the CDC’s Headquarters at Thomas Lands, or make cash or cheque deposits into CDC’s Republic Bank account 962356519938.
Meanwhile, donations can be broken down into food supplies, personal hygiene care, sanitation supplies, and monetary support.
Last Saturday the CDC offered to deliver items that were sent by persons to their relatives in quarantine at no cost.
Persons who were desirous of sending items to their relatives in institutional quarantine or isolation were asked to do so through the Civil Defence Commission (CDC) Headquarters located at Thomas Lands, Thomas Road, Georgetown.
This is due to the high risk of exposure to families and friends of persons in institutional quarantine or isolation.