Barbados Advocate
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
Established October 1895 Schools to resume online from Tuesday PAGE 3 Friday April 23, 2021 $2 VAT Inclusive Level 4 travel advisory a cause for concern WHILST the recent Level-4 travel advi- that the BTMI (Barbados Tourism however require us to continue practising sory issued by the United States Marketing Inc.) and the Ministry of social distancing, physical washing of our Department of State against Barbados Foreign Affairs will be the ones as the our hands, ensuring that we engage in all has been described as cause for competent entities to deal with this of the correct practices, particularly at a concern, especially given that the issue,” Senator Grant remarked. time when we’re looking to reopen the tourism sector is preparing to welcome He added, “If we reflect on the reports sector; or I should say at a time when visitors again, a key tourism official that we’ve been receiving from the we’re looking to encourage more visitors maintains that there has been good Ministry of Health and Wellness, those to come to the Barbados,” Grant further management of the COVID-19 pandemic reports suggest that the number of infec- commented. in Barbados. tions are being reduced, as well as the in- He maintained, “…I think there are The United States Department of State fection rate. In fact, when I looked at the measures that have been instituted to recently updated its travel advisories to number of persons who yesterday would demonstrate that there’s been good and Barbados, Antigua and Barbuda, St. have been tested and those that were proper management of the COVID-19 Lucia, and St. Vincent and the positive, the rate was less than 1%, and (situation in Barbados).” Grenadines, advising US citizens not to certainly we are moving in the right di- Grant meanwhile acknowledged that travel to these Caribbean countries, rection where the percentage of persons Barbados is in a situation where the oc- citing ongoing risks due to the COVID-19 actually contracting the virus is signifi- cupancy in hotels is significantly less pandemic. cantly below the 5% that I’m told is the than what it was, compared with per- Senator Rudy Grant, Chief Executive international standard”. formances during the months of January, Officer of the Barbados Hotel and “So yes, the advisory is cause for con- February and March of 2020. Tourism Association (BHTA), recently cern, particularly in an environment Pointing out that a new set of travel had his say on this matter. where it can clearly be demonstrated that protocols are being put in place for May “While it is certainly of concern and the actions that were undertaken by the 8, when the country expects to see inter- something that we have to pay attention Ministry of Health and Wellness has re- national travel coming back, he however to, it is happening at a time when the sulted in the infection rate being signifi- stressed that in general, visitor arrivals level of visitor arrivals and the activity cantly reduced and happening at a time will likely be very dependent on what is Senator Rudy Grant, Chief Executive within the tourism sector has been signif- when we have that positive result. So it taking place in the island’s source Officer of the Barbados Hotel and icantly reduced, and I’m very confident would be of concern. Of course, it does markets. Tourism Association (BHTA). FURTHER EASE IN RESTRICTIONS THE downward trend in positive are permitted to resume with masks COVID-19 cases in this island and face shields worn by those present. has led to another ease in restric- She also urged that wherever possible, tions. baptisms take place outside. In an address yesterday evening, The PM reminded no picnics, parties, Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley an- excursions, karaoke, fetes or limes will nounced while the country could do bet- be allowed on National Heroes Day and ter in further reducing its positivity May Day,but said persons can still head rate, it is in a far better position than to the beach or parks on those days. earlier this month. Therefore, its “You can go to restaurants, you can go gradual reopening will continue with to cook shops, but you cannot cannot be measures being put in place for a three- involved in karaoke or feting,” she week period as opposed to the usual stressed. two. Mottley also urged residents to con- The new protocols – subject to tinue their volcanic ash clean up efforts Parliament’s approval – will run from on these days. April 27 to May 17. Regarding sports, she stated all During this period, there will be a sporting activities can resume for reduction in curfew hours during the practice purposes only. weekend. The new curfew will run from “Sporting bodies must submit the 12 a.m. and end at 5 a.m. on Fridays, intended protocols to the COVID Saturdays and Sundays. Meanwhile, Monitoring Unit for the pre-approval the remaining days will stay without of the unit. Having said that, we are not curfew. yet in a position to allow basketball, In addition, cinemas and the Drive-In netball, wrestling, rugby or horse racing are allowed to open with a 25-person for different reasons. Yes, football and limit at the concession area. cricket can continue, but for practice With respect to churches, commun- and not for tournaments. Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley. ion can now take place and baptisms EASE on Page 3 2 • Friday April 23, 2021 The Barbados Advocate Second vaccine dose assured PERSONS awaiting have had your first dose Ferdinand therefore the first tranche was pri- the second jab of the already,there is your sec- noted that a similar sys- ority. AstraZeneca vaccine ond dose waiting for you tem had been used for the “For people having are being assured when you go up for your second tranche of vac- their first doses now,their there are enough appointment. However, cines, which had been re- second dose is also put doses on island to en- and I want to make this ceived through the Covax down for them and they sure their inoculation. clear, there is an expiry facility at the beginning will get it before the end Co-coordinator of the date for the vaccine and of April. of June. So I hope that National Vaccination we need to give that par- Those 33 600 doses dispels any problem or Campaign, Dr. Elizabeth ticular vaccine by the end have been divided in half confusion,” she stressed Ferdinand, explained of May, so when you get and with first doses start- during yesterday’s that half of the 100 000 your appointment date all ing to be distributed a few episode of the COVID vaccines received from of these factors have been days after the arrival of Communications Unit’s India had been stored taken into consideration the shipment. ‘COVID Queries’. for the second dose, while and then you are then The retired medical the other half had been sent your appointment to professional noted, how- Co-coordinator of the utilised for the first. come for your second ever, that due to the ash- National Vaccination “We kept the other half dose. Do not be afraid fall these first doses were Campaign Dr. Elizabeth to give the second dose to that we do not have it to now on pause as deliver- Ferdinand. the same people, so if you give you,” she assured. ing the second doses from Doctor says blood clot risks higher with common drugs WOMEN taking oral con- tor of the National Vacci- “If you have the then ranging from 0.05 to small at only four people a complication, but when traceptives and smokers nation Campaign Dr. AstraZeneca vaccine, the 0.02 per cent. For people in a million. Those are the it is tied to a vaccine or a are at a higher risk for Elizabeth Ferdinand risk of having a blood clot who smoke – whether facts and figures,” she particular drug, we have developing blood clots pointed out that the risk of is four people in a million, male or female – they stressed. to investigate that and than persons taking the developing a blood clot which is 0.0004 per cent. have an even higher risk, Earlier,the medical doc- that is what those other AstraZeneca vaccine. after receiving the For women who are on the as they get 1763 cases per tor pointed out that there countries have been doing A guest on yesterday’s COVID-19 vaccine was oral contraceptive tablets, million or a rate of 0.18 was always a risk with to find out whether blood COVID Communications much lower than utilising the risk is 500 to 1200 per cent. So I cannot sit any drug being taken. clots are being caused by Unit’s COVID Queries more commonly used cases in a million can here and say there is no “If you take a Panadol the vaccine or not,” she programme, Co-coordina- drugs. occur and their rate is risk, but the risk is so or an aspirin you can have added. The Barbados Advocate Friday April 23, 2021 • 3 Schools resume online from Tuesday No spectators COME Tuesday, April 27, all school plant next week, and to ment of the services. Playing hampering the clean up. allowed at primary and secondary that extent there were a number fields near schools have made it “We have agreed that school schools will commence the of issues that they confronted difficult for them to continue will resume online on April 27, new term online.