CMO Encourages Surveillance Protocols For COVID-19

Chief Medical Officer (CMO), Dr. Jacquiline Bisasor-McKenzie, says that the surveillance protocols for the Coronavirus (COVID-19) have not changed.

She said, that citizens may see a reduction in some community interventions if the Ministry does not identify any significant clustering of confirmed cases in a particular area.

While addressing a virtual press briefing recently Dr. Bisasor-McKenzie said that response is done on the ground and areas that have been identified to have clusters are approached with the necessary interventions.

These interventions include testing persons from general hospital admissions, identifying suspected cases of the virus, and testing any individual who shows respiratory symptoms.

“Normally, we would observe our influenza-like illnesses and our severe, acute respiratory illnesses, but we have moved to an enhanced respiratory surveillance where anybody that presents with any respiratory symptoms at all [will be] tested,” she said.

Dr. Bisasor-McKenzie said that the Ministry of Health and Wellness case investigations aids in identifying contacts which help in the tracing of cases and assists in the response to any clustering of confirmed cases in a community.

She also encourages the physicians at the different sites in health centres and hospitals to continue the observation, and persons that have symptoms to go into the facilities to get tested.