Kingston, Jamaica–September 7th, 2020.
At a joint press conference with Prime Minister Andrew Holness, the Jamaica Minister of Health and Wellness, Dr. the Hon. Christopher Tufton, said the majority of persons with the coronavirus (COVID-19) will have to home quarantine.
“The more positive cases we have, the more people will have to get well at home once they’re asymptomatic,” the Minister said.
The Minister pointed out that only a minority of these positives would need to be admitted to a hospital.
“The overwhelming majority will have no need to be placed in a hospital setting. They can stay at home, once they have somewhere to isolate… [and] they will get well over time,” Dr. Tufton said.
It is projected that based on statistical projections, up to 1.5 million Jamaicans may contract COVID-19.
Up to the time of the press conference, there were 2,096 active cases of COVID-19 being monitored in Jamaica.
Dr. Tufton said that Jamaicans should “assume that everyone you come in contact with is a positive COVID-19 case,” as “cases are going to pop up any and everywhere”.
For his part, Holness said people 70 and older need to be particularly careful, as of the 34 deaths recorded, 19 were people aged 70 and older. Fifteen of the deaths were people below 70, and 15 had co-morbidities and other risk factors.
“Younger people also need to be sensitive… [as] while you may be asymptomatic, you may pass on the virus to your mother or grandmother,” Mr. Holness said.
