CMO issues guidelines for persons undergoing quarantine

The Chief Medical Officer has issued guidelines to persons undergoing quarantine for Covid-19 in St Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG).

The guidelines, which were issued on Saturday, March 28 by Dr Simone Keizer-Beache, include tips on how to take care of one’s day to day needs, while protecting others in the home.

These steps, the release said, must be taken by persons who have travelled to SVG from certain countries in the last 14 days.

“…the quarantine will be actively monitored by Public Health Officials and members of the Royal St Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force and Coast Guard, and will remain in effect whether the individual travels to or from the Grenadines,” the release said.

The quarantine requirement is for passengers arriving from China, the European Union (including Italy, the Overseas Departments of France (Guadeloupe, Martinique, St. Martin, French Guiana), Iran, South Korea, United States of America (including USVI and Puerto Rico), Canada and the United Kingdom.

The release said the Ministry of Health, Wellness and the Environment “will not hesitate to seek court orders to enforce this quarantine requirement…”

“Any breach of this undertaking will result in appropriate action under the Laws of St. Vincent and the Grenadines,” the release said.

All persons previously instructed to be under quarantine are reminded that the instruction is mandatory and any breach may result in imprisonment and or a fine.

While in quarantine, the following steps should be taken:

Do not leave home.

Do not go to work, school, other public areas.

Do not use public transportation.

Arrange to have groceries and other necessities delivered.

Stay in a separate room and if possible use a separate bathroom from others in the home.

If you have to be in contact with others, stay at least three (3) feet apart, wear a mask and keep interactions short.

Avoid contact with the elderly, persons with chronic diseases and pets.

Do not allow visitors to the home.

Wash hands often with soap and water and dry with a paper towel. Alcohol based hand sanitizers may also be used.

Avoid touching eyes, nose and mouth.

At least once daily, clean and disinfect surfaces that are touched often e.g. toilets, tables, doorknobs, phones, TV remote controls. Use regular household disinfectants or diluted bleach to disinfect.

Do not share personal items such as toothbrushes, bed linen, utensils or electronics.

For items that cannot be cleaned, discard in a plastic liner.

Put the lid of the toilet down before flushing.

Get some rest, eat a balanced diet and stay in touch with others through telephone, email or social media.

Monitor for the appearance of any symptoms (fever, cough, shortness of breath) as instructed by your healthcare provider and immediately contact the COVID-19 Hotline (534-4325) if symptoms appear.

If symptoms develop cough or sneeze into a tissue or the cuff of the elbow.

Take paracetamol for fever. Do not take Advil or Ibuprofen.

“The aim of the 14 days (the time it usually takes for the development of symptoms and the increased likelihood of a positive test for COVID-19) of quarantine is to protect the entire population in St. Vincent and the Grenadines by reducing the contacts of an individual who may have been exposed to COVID-19.

Reducing contacts has been shown to be key in reducing spread – our shared responsibility,” the release from the Chief Medical Officer said.