Officer in Charge in the office of the Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Laura Esprit, has warned that withholding COVID-19 information from health officers is disastrous for all. Given the recent spike of the disease in Grand Fond, Esprit said people must assist the contact-tracing efforts of the government to reign in the spread of the disease.
Considering that 13 people had just be confirmed positive for COVID-19 in Grand Fond, Esprit said the number would have been higher if not for the concerted and timely intervention of health officials to trace and quarantine primary contacts. She said government agencies and health officials will be prompt and accurate in their responses if the public supplied information about infected persons, primary contacts, and illegal entrants into the country.
Withholding information, whether intentionally or unintentionally, puts all of us at risk and affects the timeliness of containing the disease. And this extends to reporting potential contacts of positive persons, or even those who may have gained entry into Dominica through illegal means. So our response really depends on your honesty.
Dr. Laura Esprit
According to the top health official, the timeliness and honesty of providing information is crucial to curtailing the spread of the pandemic. She also urged Dominicans to prioritize health and safety protocols such as washing of hands, wearing of face masks, social distancing, and proper coughing/sneezing etiquettes.
The domino effect of complacency impacts not just you as an individual but all of us as a group, as a community, as a country. Let this experience serve as a motivation to those who have not been vaccinated to do so at soonest.
Dr. Laura Esprit
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