Guyanese ignoring COVID-19 advisories – Volda Lawrence

Former Public Health Minister Volda Lawrence has expressed concern that many Guyanese have been breaching the advisories promulgated to keep the population safe.

During her daily update on Thursday, she outlined that many persons do not realize the seriousness of the virus because they continue their daily activities without adhering to the precautionary measures promulgated.
“I have been noticing that, despite the countless messages appealing to you to be responsible; to comply with the advisory measures that the Ministry of Public Health, along with other partners, has put in place in the interest of mitigating the spread and keep us all safe, you are s till breaching the protocols and behaving as if you are immune to the disease,” Lawrence said.
With four deaths from this disease already recorded in the country, Lawrence is urging stakeholders to practise measures that would ensure their safety during the pandemic.
“Let me remind you that COVID-19 has no boundaries. Its firing power is aimed directly at all of us; therefore, I am urging you; rather, I am begging you, to play your civic part and adhere to all credible advisories that have been circulating in the media for your protection and for mine,” the caretaker minister added.
Guyana’s recorded positive cases of the virus as at April 1 stand at 19; and Lawrence noted that this number remains constant, but 31 persons are in quarantine, 11 in isolation, 121 in home quarantine, and one is in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU).
During this time, persons are asked to maintain social distancing and stay at home as much as possible, unless there arises need to go out. Additionally, the proper hand washing technique – wash for 20 seconds — along with regular sanitization of the surroundings should be practised.
Since testing is not being done on a mass scale in which the infected can be identified, it is now proven that some persons who are infected exhibit none of the symptoms (asymptomatic), but can yet transmit the virus. It is advisable that masks be worn by all in public spaces, in addition to the other steps being implemented.
On Wednesday, Guyana recorded two more deaths from the novel coronavirus (COVID-19).
Osa Collins, a 78-year-old resident of New Amsterdam Berbice in Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne), died on Wednesday afternoon at the Georgetown Public Hospital, where she was admitted into the COVID-19 Intensive Care Unit (ICU) after testing positive for the infectious disease.
In a statement, the Public Health Ministry noted that Collins was considered an ‘imported case’, as she had recently travelled to Guyana from the United States of America.
Then, later in the evening, a 59-year-old man identified only as “Mr Stoll” died at the GPHC. He initially was at the Diamond Regional Hospital but was transferred to the GPHC, where he succumbed.
The deaths of Collins and Stoll have been added to Guyana’s death toll at a time when the country had also seen an increase in the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases.