Established October 1895 Drug manufacturing potential PAGE 2 Tuesday February 16, 2021 $1 VAT Inclusive ‘PAUSE’ EXTENDED AS the number of COVID-19 cases two weeks. As the lab worked to clear simply that number of persons that will said the island requested the vital continue to rise, the national pause the backlog over the past few days, be infected by one person who has the binding liquid from Guyana and a is being extended until February 28. hundreds of cases came back positive virus with respect to the transmission,” package was set to arrive yesterday Originally set to end at midnight when tested. she explained, noting these figures were afternoon via the Regional Security tomorrow, Prime Minister Mia Amor “That has led us and the Ministry of compromised by not being up to date in System. Mottley said it was necessary to add 11 Health to believe that our statistics testing. While there will be a further more days to the lockdown period in really need be given space to breathe Saying the backlog now stood at some tightening of the ‘pause’ protocols order to get an accurate picture of the and much of the statistics you have 1,600 tests, she told the COVID-19 regarding enforcement, she said in light current statistics. received in the last few days has a large Management Update yesterday, this of the extension, citizens will have Due to several delays in the arrival of component of backlog in it. We are should be cleared within two days and greater accessibility to purchasing their the reagent required for the testing therefore adamant that we would like to testing once again brought current. essentials as minimarts are now allowed process from the United States, testing be be able to see how our statistics do In a proactive effort to ensure the to open. slowed down considerably at the Best- with respect to the testing and the island has enough reagent until the dos Santos Laboratory over the past testing rates and the ‘R’ rate, which is shipment from the US arrives, Mottley EXTENSION on Page 3 Countries, airlines may require persons to be vaccinated, says De Peiza WHILE everyone has the right to refuse the COVID-19 vaccine, one attorney is cautioning persons that the possibility exists that to have access to overseas travel, they may be forced to be vaccinated. Speaking during the Democratic Labour Party’s ‘The Sunday Roast’ panel discussion on Sunday night, Attorney-at-law and President of the Democratic Labour Party (DLP), Verla De Peiza, said that in terms of the COVID-19 vaccine, these are things that have to be considered. De Peiza went on to say that while a person can make a personal choice not to take the vaccine, there are others who can make the choice not to do business with you unless you have been vaccinated. The DLP President said that can occur, even where persons may have valid reasons for not taking the vaccine. In that vein, she used the example of airlines, noting that just as they can refuse to allow persons to board an aircraft if they are not wearing masks, the same could apply to vaccines. “...They have certain liabilities that they take on by allowing you on board. Part of those liabilities are to protect others from you if that comes to the case. We mostly think of that in terms of one passenger going berserk on board, but in relation to one passenger becoming infected, they may well carry some liability, and it likely will be open to airlines to decide that you can’t travel on their craft unless you are vaccinated,” she suggested. VACCINATIONS CONTINUE!: Cynthia Harris, who is in her 70s, made the most of her chance to take the COVID-19 vaccine yesterday. Harris (right) is pictured receiving the vaccine from Health Sister CONSIDERATIONS on Page 2 Paula Forde at the David Thompson Polyclinic. 2 • Tuesday February 16, 2021 The Barbados Advocate Drug manufacturing potential THERE is a suggestion how it could be achieved. COVID-19 pandemic of people at risk. that Barbados can be- “I suggested that has had on tourism – the “We should find 10 sig- come a manufacturing Barbados use some of country’s main economic nificant products that are hub for pharmaceuti- the old plantations that earner. used in the landmass of cals. we have. We have a lot “If you are losing a Africa, for example, and The idea has been of plantations that are half a billion dollars in manufacture those and put forward by the property of the Crown, tourism, $600 million in we would make much Democratic Labour where we have many, the tourism product, you more than what we make Party’s spokesperson on many acres, and we have have to find alternatives in tourism,” the pharma- health, pharmacist Paul the capacity right here and this represents a cist argued. Gibson, during a virtual to have space in a safe significant turnaround Using India as an ex- panel discussion hosted environment where we alternative, another leg. ample, he said that coun- by the political party on can have approval for We have a one-legged try manufactures more Sunday night to discuss FDA [Food and Drug stool right now which than 70 per cent of the the topic ‘The State of Our Administration] ap- is tourism, and that world’s pharmaceuticals Health’. Gibson, contend- proved plants right here has been amputated. So in plants approved by ing that health is not in Barbados, to be manu- things like a vaccine man- the United States’ FDA, supposed to be political, facturers of vaccines,” he ufacturing plant or a drug and those medicines are indicated that so sure is stated. manufacturing plant is distributed to countries he that the country can Adamant that the coun- something that we can throughout the world. get into pharmaceutical try has the expertise and certainly consider,” the “So they have ratcheted manufacturing, including capacity to make such a DLP member stated. up their whole level of vaccines, that last year reality, he said it is an Describing health as technology, and expertise he sent a proposal to the avenue that it is worth the “last frontier”, he in that space and it is ruling Barbados Labour pursuing, considering the maintained that there is something that we are Party Government about negative impact that the always a need for legiti- more than capable of mate drug manufactur- doing in Barbados.We ers. Gibson made the have the lands, we have point while noting that the personnel [and] we Democratic Labour Party’s spokesperson on health, Nursing Assistant the fake drug business have the intelligence. It pharmacist Paul Gibson. has been growing in re- is really a space that we succumbs to COVID-19 cent years, and it is put- should jump into. Health and we should certainly line,” he maintained. ting the lives of millions is really the last frontier get to the front of the (JRT) Health Minister expresses condolences A QUEEN Elizabeth care workers have con- Hospital (QEH) Nursing tracted COVID-19 while Legislation needed to make Assistant has died as a trying to save others.” result of COVID-19. Prior to Sunday, She passed away at the according to the Health COVID-19 vaccine mandatory Harrison Point Isolation Minister, Barbados had so Facility on Sunday,where far been spared the loss CONSIDERATIONS from be of course nervousness every single right in the she had been a patient for of any of its healthcare Page 1 because we’re dealing Constitution has excep- nine days. workers, and the cases of with something new; tions. One of those excep- She is the first health- COVID among the QEH De Peiza went on to say there will be medical is- tions is where it is for the care worker to die from staff have largely been that just as persons need sues because of course, public good, so we have to the coronavirus disease in the result of community to get the Yellow fever vac- we’re dealing with pre-ex- remember that. Having Barbados, Minister of spread and not direct pa- cine to travel to Africa and isting conditions before said that, in order to meet Health and Wellness Lt. tient-to-caregiver contact. the malaria vaccine to COVID was overlaid, be- that public good require- Col. Jeffrey Bostic con- “If this young woman’s travel to certain regions, fore vaccines were over- ment, there will need to firmed yesterday, as he life is not to be in vain, individual countries can laid,” she stated. be legislation. So it would joined with members of her death must share also determine that you Her comments came have to be legislated that the health fraternity and two lessons with the rest cannot enter their borders as she indicated that at it is mandatory. We know nurses in particular, to of this country – that unless you are vaccinated. present, the COVID-19 that there are some vac- Attorney-at-law and mourn her passing. COVID is no respecter of “So these are consider- vaccine is not mandatory cines that are mandatory President of the While not disclosing her age of persons and all of ations. Whilst you have and therefore no one can in relation to our children, Democratic Labour name, he described her as us must take it seriously; your personal rights to be compelled to take it. they have to demonstrate Party (DLP), Verla an excellent nurse who and that we in this coun- decide not to take the However, she noted that that they have had certain De Peiza.