PM Roosevelt Skerrit has disclosed that more aggression is required to educate the public on the dangers of COVID-19. He said he has directed the Ministry of Health to embark on diligent campaigns that will keep the masses informed so that they can also cooperate with the government to overcome the risks of coronavirus in the country.
Skerrit lamented that many people still congregate for social events in total disregard for health protocols, and that the government will do more to get the people to comply through the use of information dissemination on the media and in communities.
“It is a concern to us and I have certainly directed the Ministry of Health and the Health Promotion Unit to be more aggressive with the public education and public information exercise,” he said. “I think we have gone cold on this, and we should not only be on the radio with this, we should be out in the communities, at the bars, on the bus stop, on the bus stand.”
According to the prime minister, many economies in the world are still reeling from the throes of the pandemic and there is always the risk of a second wave in countries that have overcome the disease in a big way. He referenced a country that witnessed 70 new cases in three days as a result of community infection, and added that Dominica is not “out of the woods” yet.
The Minister of Health and Wellness, Dr. Irving McIntyre, has also urged Dominicans to cooperate with the government to annihilate COVID-19 by staying at home, washing their hands regularly, observing social distancing, and reporting illegal immigrants to police authorities.
“We are fully aware of the fatigue associated with these measures but the fact remains that it works in preventing the spread of COVID 19 and the possibility of a second wave,” McIntyre said. “Let’s go back to basics and follow all the guidelines and measures that have been made available on the radio, television, posters, banners, and through social media. We can only succeed if we do it together. As I said before, it must be an all-inclusive approach with a greater sense of public concern.”
This article is copyright © 2020 DOM767
