In an effort to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19), health officials in Region Three have created screening stations at the region’s two main hospitals.
Beginning last Monday, every person who enters the gates of the West Demerara Regional Hospital (WDRH) or the Leonora Cottage Hospital is screened at the stations, which are expected to be in operation on a 24-hour basis.
In a post on its Facebook page, the Region Three administration said that at WDRH screening is done using a modified triage system.
A medical staffer at WDRH, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told Sunday Stabroek that everyone, including hospital staff, has to undergo the screening processes, which are done by doctors and nurses who are on duty.
Upon entry, persons are briefly interviewed and their temperatures are checked before being directed to sanitise their hands. Once they do not display common COVID-19 symptoms, they are allowed to go into the health facility. However, if they display COVID-19 symptoms and reveal during the interview that they have been in contact with a COVID-19 patient or have a recent travel history, they are masked and sent to the second triage station.
There, they are examined and further interviewed by other health officials. They are also required to undergo relevant complementary tests. After the tests are completed, they are then tagged as “possible COVID-19” or “non-COVID-19”
The “possible COVID-19” cases will be reported as suspected cases and admitted to a quarantine facility or advised on self-isolation, depending on clinical presentation and possibility of compliance.
A similar system is in place at the Leonora Cottage Hospital.
Additionally, surveillance at both hospitals are heightened. Health officials are required to compile all the data they have collected on a daily basis. Persons who may have reported associated symptoms or had recently travelled and had contact with a COVID-19 positive patient but were not deemed likely cases by the triage unit are followed up on. This is done via telephone or site visit by a surveillance team.
The surveillance team and the tier two triage unit are also first responders to reports of possible COVID-19 cases during the day and night, respectively.
Guyana’s first case of COVID-19 was confirmed on March 11. A number of precautionary measures have since been put in place across the country to prevent the spread of the respiratory disease. Thus far, there are only five confirmed cases.
