With three confirmed cases locally, Dr Potter said: “I am sure that there are people (staff) when dangers are around, becomes fearful. So I expect there to be some disquiet. However, I can assure you that right now we have adequate supplies of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for our staff and we are to receive additional amounts shortly.”

The Chief Medical Officer, who was responding to questions from BVI News about the general morale of local healthcare professions at the time, said these PPE’s are of top quality and that BVI would have used them if they did not meet the specifications.

Protective COVID-19 training

He said the staff has also been equipped with specific knowledge to protect themselves against contracting the highly contagious virus.

“For the past few weeks, we have been holding training for our staff; showing them how to put them [the PPE] on and take them off properly. All in all, we are doing the best that we can,” Dr Potter told our news centre.

He added: “The territory has been blessed that the three cases [of COVID-19] have mild symptoms and are recovering well. To date, we have no evidence of community transmission, and the staff continues to be vigilant, and they are already working above and beyond for what we hope won’t happen.”

COVID-19 hospital floor

Management at the hospital has allocated an entire floor for persons suffering from serious symptoms of the virus. There is also a designated hotline.

Just this week, Health Minister Carvin Malone announced that there were no new cases of the virus in the territory. He said 17 cases that were sent to the Caribbean Public Health Agency in Trinidad returned negative for the virus.

Online research indicates that there are more than 1.4 million cases of COVID-19 globally and more than 82,000 related deaths.