Hanover establishing coronavirus protocols

WESTERN BUREAU:

WITH THE spread of the novel coronavirus a national concern, the Hanover Municipal Corporation (HMC) has announced that stringent protocols will now be implemented in all its departments.

David Gardner, the chief executive officer (CEO) of the corporation, said at Thursday’s monthly meeting of the HMC that over the last four weeks, the municipal authority had embarked on a sensitisation programme for staff and stakeholders. They also acquired essential items to assist in fighting the disease.

“In the coming days, the general public will be seeing some differences in the way the corporation formerly operated,” said Gardner.

The CEO said that municipal car parks, transport centres, markets, infirmaries, and other corporation-governed establishments will be exercising new protocol measures. A small team from the corporation will be visiting public areas to assess the scale and scope of interventions.

CONTINGENCY PLAN

“We have put in place somewhat of a contingency that may require us to take care of certain necessities for the very vulnerable amongst us,” said Gardner.

“We have a large, registered poor population, and it is one that we are very mindful of where this kind of a provision is concerned.”

Chairman of the HMC and Mayor of Lucea, Sheridan Samuels, said that the corporation should identify funding to address social and economic displacement that is likely to occur as a result of the expected fallout should COVID-19 emerge in the Hanover.

Although the Hanover Health Department said it was prepared for the disease outbreak, a call was made for the formulation of a coronavirus committee similar to the one that is in place in the parish for its fight against dengue fever.