By EARYEL BOWLEG

Tribune Staff Reporter

ebowleg@tribunemedia.net

Central and South Eleuthera MP Hank Johnson voiced support for a total lockdown of the island during a virtual town hall.

However, the Ministry of Health’s Surveillance Unit has so far recommended other measures for the island to help lower cases. These include outfitted quarantine sites, enhanced human resources, and reassessment of inventory at medical facilities.

The recommendations came during the island’s virtual town hall meeting with local government, health officials, and residents which was posted on Facebook on Monday. An assessment of the COVID-19 situation on the island was ordered to determine the best strategies needed to mitigate the spread of the virus.

Members of the Surveillance Unit were in Eleuthera for a few days and worked with the local health team on the island. The unit gave a presentation of their findings, highlighted challenges, and voiced their concerns.

While present, Mr Johnson asked the health team what direction the island was headed in, as Eleutherans felt some major steps needed to be taken.

He said after Zoom meetings with constituents, it was clear most residents favoured a lockdown, while three people objected.

“There were three persons that objected to it...and the rest of those persons in that meeting are asking for a lockdown because many of them in that meeting have lost loved ones and there were a lot of them who now have family members who are sick and there (are) some personally who are fighting for their lives and so in my constituency persons are afraid and right now it is time for action,” he said.

Dr Merceline Dahl-Regis, health consultant in the Office of the Prime Minister, then indicated if there was enough resources in terms of a feeding programme and adequate preparation for a lockdown, that it would likely be 14 days.

Dr Dahl-Regis also said more analysis will need to be done and the team will come back with recommendations to the government who will decide what measures to put in place. But Mr Johnson argued the government will have to do whatever it has to do.

“I’m totally aware finances is always the question. It’s a problem. I’m aware of that, but in this case we’re gonna have to get it done,” he said.

“They’ve done it in Bimini and Freeport and so now it’s the time for them to look in to take care of the people in Eleuthera.”

“We need to stop this spread. We’re losing too much persons - it’s one too many.”

Back in August, Mr Johnson was in hospital after testing positive for the virus. He has since recovered. Eleuthera has recorded 88 cases as of November 2.

One member of the Surveillance Unit said there is concern about the behaviour of some residents.

The official said in South Eleuthera, where there is a generally younger population, the area had five positive cases associated with one bar and a cluster of three teachers that tested positive.

“There are social gatherings in particular at the bars which is our number one concern,” the health official said.

“At funerals we have persons that are not complying with the accepted number for persons to be in attendance at a funeral. They’re not socially distancing and wearing their masks incorrectly or not all. As of recently, there were about 60-80 people at a funeral. Churches are having face to face meetings.”

It was noted there is limited manpower in the community to enforce COVID-19 protocols. Although tickets for violations are being issued, there has not been a magistrate on the island since March.

A lack of dedicated contact tracers was an apparent issue at Lower Bogue and Spanish Wells’ clinics.

It was noted the Palmetto Point clinic had one dedicated contact tracer who’s a volunteer doing all tracing for cases and contacts in Central and South Eleuthera. Palmetto Point alone has 61 active contacts.

Three Bahamasair employees are training to help contact tracing efforts in the area.

The Surveillance Unit official said: “They’re only swabbing symptomatic persons that present to the healthcare facility. Because of the constraints in human resources, those persons are unable to go out in communities to conduct proper assessments...and testing.

“Possibly others are reluctant to present though they’re symptomatic. We found that some persons are actually taking bush medicine.”

Two quarantine facilities located in Cupid’s Cay and Rock Sound were deemed unsuitable for use.

It was also recommended that quarantine sites need to be completely outfitted for persons who are unable to be isolated in their residences and identification of workers who are going to monitor these persons is needed.