Situation Report COVID-19 Jamaica

 

 

SITUATION OVERVIEW

Jamaica started preparedness for any possible introduction of the novel coronavirus – COVID-19 in early January 2020, immediately following identification of the novel coronavirus on 7 January 2020 in China.

The Government of Jamaica, especially the Ministry of Health and Wellness, continues to guide all sectors in the required preparedness and response actions.

 

ACTIONS TAKEN

 

Government of Jamaica

On 28 October 2020, the Prime Minister announced that all measures currently in place will remain in effect until 30 November 2020.

From 6 October 2020 and until 31 October 2020, the Disaster Risk Management (Enforcement Measures) (No. 14) Order, 2020 is in effect.

Entry into Jamaica

• A person who seeks to enter Jamaica during this period:

1. If ordinarily resident in Jamaica, complete, through the website https://www.jamcovid19.moh.gov.jm , the relevant application for entry into Jamaica.
2. If the person is not ordinarily resident in Jamaica, complete, through the website https://www.visitjamaica.com , the relevant application for entry into Jamaica.

• All residents of the United States of America, Brazil, Dominican Republic, Mexico or Panama who are 12 years of age and over, are required to obtain and present a negative COVID-19 PCR or Antigen test result to check-in for a flight.
• Tests must be done by a medical laboratory that has a Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA) registration or ISO 15189 certification. The date of the test must be less that 10 days from the date of arrival.
• On arrival, each person will have a health and risk assessment screening conducted by an authorized health officer, including a temperature check, observation for signs of COVID-19 and a review of countries visited in the last 6 weeks.
• Each person arriving will be quarantined based on the assessment and the type of quarantine order issued.
• Persons ordinarily resident in Jamaica will be quarantined at home for 14 days. Testing will be done if persons are assessed as high risk personally or are symptomatic or become symptomatic during the 14 day period.
• Business travellers will have samples taken at the Point of Entry and remain in quarantine at their hotels / place of residence until the result is received. They are required to present at their port of departure, a negative COVID-19 test result as may be specified by the Ministry of Health and Wellness at the time.
• Persons not ordinarily resident in Jamaica and who are visiting as a tourist staying in the Resilient Coridor, are required to present at their port of departure, a negative COVID-19 test result as may be specified by the Ministry of Health and Wellness, at the time.
• They are required to stay at their abode or residence and may leave as outlined in their quarantine order.
• Persons not ordinarily resident in Jamaica who are visiting Jamaica other than a tourist staying in the Resilient Corridor or as a business traveller, will be required to present at their port of departure, a negative COVID-19 test result as may be specified by the Ministry of Health and Wellness, at the time and will be quarantined for 14 days at the place of residence provided to the health authorities.

In Jamaica

• From 20 – 31 October 2020, the curfew will be from 9:00 p.m. daily to 5:00 a.m. on the next day.
• Gatherings should not exceed 15 persons and social distance of a minimum of 6 feet must be maintained.
• A mask shall be worn in public spaces and this includes workplaces and licenced public passenger vehicles.
• All persons 65 years and older must remain at home and are permitted to leave once per day to carry out the essentials of life.
• Churches are prohibited from hosting funerals, crusades, conferences, conventions and other special events.
• Marriages may take place following the guidelines, with each person in a space of 36 sq. ft. and no more than 50 persons.
• Burials may continue, however, only 15 persons are allowed at the graveside, including the clergy and funeral home personnel. No more than 10 are to be mourners.
• Worship services may continue to be held within the existing guidelines, requiring temperature checks, sanitization and the mandatory wearing of masks. - Entertainment events requiring permits remain suspended, as of 27 August 2020.

Ministry of Health and Wellness

• The updated MOHW COVID-19 Epidemiological Surveillance Protocol -15 September 2020 – Version 19 was posted on the MOHW website. http://www.moh.gov.jm/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/COVID- 19_SurveillanceProtocol_updated-Sept-15-2020_V19.pdf

• The updated MOHW Discharge Protocol for persons who have tested positive for COVID-19 Version 3.2 – September 4 2020 was finalized on 4 September 2020.

 

PAHO

 

Coordination, planning and monitoring

PAHO CO: 

• Remains embedded in the MOHW EOC and provides 24-hour technical support and guidance, including to the twice daily EOC briefing meetings. Focus for the week of 1 November 2020 was on guidance for the MOHW, Jamaica on:

  1. Strategies for suppressing transmission during community transmission,

  2. Enhancing laboratory capacity, and

  3. Hurricane and dengue preparedness and response.

• Participated in the UN Emergency Technical Team (UNETT meeting to review preparedness and response activities for any possible impact of Tropical Storm/Hurricane Eta and updated the MOHW EOC on the importance of re-aligning the health sector response in the context of COVID-19- 3 November 2020

• Participated in the PAHO Caribbean Health Ministers Meeting which focused on COVID-19 response, such as Grenada sharing its plan for the introduction of the COVID-19 vaccine – 6 November 2020

• Hosted a multi-partner handing-over ceremony for items procured by PAHO/WHO, UKaid/FCDO and UN SG MPTF - 80,000 antigen rapid diagnostic tests and 15 F200 readers; 5,000 N95 masks from UN SG MPTF; and 278,165 masks, 9 oxygen concentrators and 73,100 face shields from UK aid/FCDO. In attendance were the British High Commissioner, Minister of State in the Ministry of Health and Wellness, Acting Chief Medical Officer and the PWR, Jamaica, Bermuda and Cayman Islands – 26 October 2020

 

 

• Procured and handed over in collaboration with UNAIDS, PPEs, IPC posters and other safety supplies for a 6-month period to four Civil Society Organizations supporting vulnerable groups, such as disadvantaged children and adolescents, persons living with HIV, the transgender community and those requiring legal assistance – 26 October 2020

• Procured and handed over in collaboration with UNAIDS, PPEs and IPC posters to three Civil Society Organizations supporting vulnerable groups, such as persons Living with HIV - 23 October 2020.

• Hosted a webinar in collaboration with PAHO WDC on COVID-19 Candidate Vaccines and Preparation for Vaccination for 25 participants from the Ministries of Health, Jamaica, Bermuda and the Cayman Islands – 22 October 2020

• PAHO CO Incident Manager presented on PAHO’s response to COVID-19 and lessons learned at the American Association for the Advancement of Science – Caribbean Division on 24 October 2020.

• PAHO CO COVID-19 Coordinators and Incident Manager continued weekly participated in the UN webinars of FLOD and Medevac, 28 October 2020.

• Hosted a handing-over ceremony for items procured by Canada, including PPEs for health care workers and medical equipment and supplies for 5 isolation areas in hospitals, including 457,372 surgical masks, 27,445 KN95 respirator masks and 5 each resucitation trolleys, automated external defibrillators, patient monitors, suction machines, nebulizers and video laryngoscopes. In attendance were the Canadian High Commissioner, Minister of Health and Wellness, Chief Medical Officer and the PWR, Jamaica, Bermuda and Cayman Islands – 6 October 2020

 

 

• PAHO CO hosted a handing-over ceremony for items procured by USAID for the Health EOC and risk communications, including 15 ICU beds,13 satellite phones, 5 scanners, 40 banners for Points of entry and 2,000 IPC posters. In attendance were the Minister of Health and Wellness, country Representative, USAID, Chief Medical Officer and the PWR, Jamaica, Bermuda and Cayman Islands – 6 October 2020.

• Handed over PPEs to the Minister of Health and Wellness which were procured utilizing funds from the UN SG Multi-partner Trust Fund – 142,258 surgical masks, 24,500 face shields, 14,200 isolation gowns and 5,000 goggles. – 6 October 2020.

• Facilitated MOHW, Jamaica and MOH, Bermuda and Cayman Islands to further commitments for down-payments to COVAX facility through funding from EU through grant funds to CARPHA – 8 October 2020 and on-going

• Finalized arrangements with PAHO, WDC and Purchase Order was issued for the procurement of 80,000 rapid antigen detection tests in partnership with FCDO, UK, and the UN system – on-going and on 8 October 2020.

• Reviewed the work plan for Jamaica funded by EU DEVCO from 2020- 2022, for immediate implementation – 1 October 2020.

• Maintained its membership on the National Health Emergency Planning Committee of the National Disaster Management Council with updates on preparedness of the MOHW and local and international partners, such as the Jamaica Red Cross

• Heightened its collaboration with MOHW to advance timely implementation of work plans for the COVID-19 response for USAID, US CDC, Global Affairs Canada, UK DFID, UN SG Multi-Partner Trust Fund, with on-going procurement.

• Maintained the technical lead for health for the COVID-19 response within the UNCT and the GOJ system.

 

Risk Communication and Community Engagement

PAHO CO:

• Developed PAHO CO inputs to the UN 75 supplement for a daily newspaper – 12 October 2020.

• Finalized arrangements for completion of the PAHO video on home quarantine and isolation, based on the current increase in cases in Jamaica – 13 October 2020

• Continued the development of the PAHO CO newsletter with consultations with members of the technical team and initiated dialogue with the MOHW counterparts to access additional information.

• Updated websites for Jamaica, Bermuda and Cayman with daily content and the digitisation of country situation reports.

 

Surveillance, Rapid Response Teams and Case Investigation

PAHO CO:

• Briefed the MOHW on Go.Data during a question and answer session – 20 July 2020.

• Collaboration with the MOHW to finalize guidelines on waste management – 10 July 2020

 

Points of Entry

PAHO CO: 

• PAHO CO, MOHW and USAID furthered the plans for retrofitting of the isolation area at the Sangster International Airport at a meeting on 15 October 2020 and a site visit with the MOHW, operators of the SIA and architect on 22 October 2020.

• Provided guidance to the MOHW on the Public Health Measures to be taken at the Points of Entry for national and international travelers – on-going.

 

National Laboratory

PAHO CO: 

• PAHO CO received extraction kits and supplies for 10,000 COVID-19 tests funded by UKaid/FCDO – 26 October 2020.

• PAHO CO received 80,000 rapid antigen test kits procured in collaboration with WHO, FCDO, UK and UN SG MPTF funds on 23 October 2020, for handing over on 26 October 2020. In addition 9 oxygen concentrators donated by UKaid/FCDO were received on 23 October 2020.

• PAHO CO facilitated a meeting with PHE Virologist and the MOHW and Regional Health Authorities on the connectivity of the SD Biosensor antigen rapid detection test F200 readers with the laboratory information system – 14 October 2020.

• PAHO CO facilitated training by PAHO, WDC team in Antigen Rapid Diagnostic Testing of 105 laboratory and other health personnel from the National Public Health Laboratory, National Influenza Centre, hospitals, Primary Care facilities and the private sector – 6 October 2020.

 

Infection prevention and control

PAHO CO: 

• Facilitated the participation of 71 MOHW staff members in the weekly PAHO IPC training which started on 19 October 2020.

 

Case management

PAHO CO:

• Received 9 oxygen concentrators procured with FCDO, UK funds on 23 October 2020 for handing-over on 26 October 2020.

• Continued its collaboration with MOHW counterparts on the re- organization of health services to ensure required capacity for isolation beds, including for mechanical ventilation in High Dependency Units and ICUs.

 

Maintaining essential health services

PAHO CO:

• Facilitated development of health sector plans for the influenza season by providing the WHO Policy Brief on Readiness for Influenza during COVID-19 to CMOs, IHR NFPs and senior technical teams of the Ministries of Health, Jamaica, Bermuda and the Cayman Islands – 7 November 2020.

• Facilitated the mobilization and start of retrofitting of the Port Antonio Health Centre within the Smart project on 2 November 2020.with work scheduled for an 8-month period.

• Advised the MOHW of the award of contract for the retrofitting of the St. Ann’s Bay Health Centre on 6 October 2020, with the Kick-off meeting scheduled for 11 November 2020.

• Facilitated the Pre-Construction site meeting at the Port Antonio Health Centre (Smart project) with representatives of the contractor, design and inspection firm and the MOHW at all levels – national, regional, parish and facility. Mobilization and retrofitting were scheduled for 2 November 2020. – 28 October 2020.

• Facilitated the Kick-off Meeting for the retrofitting of the Port Antonio Health Centre within the PAHO/FCDO Smart Health Care Facilities in the Caribbean project – 16 October 2020

 

Research

PAHO CO:

• Provided support to the MOHW Essential National Health Research Committee (ENHRC) in:

  1. Development of the Research Project on the impact of COVID-19 in the access to essential health services in Jamaica.

  2. Development of the Research Project on the impact of COVID-19 in communication and community engagement.

• Continued its collaboration with the MOHW on the Research Group for COVID-19 and the Working Group on Health Systems.

 

NEEDS

• PPEs, laboratory supplies, UTM and swabs, equipment and supplies for isolation and quarantine facilities, wards and rooms

• Capacity building trough training on antigen rapid diagnostic testing