Residents of Brooklyn Settlement, Sangre Grande are calling on Ministry of Health authorities to reconsider a decision to house recovering COVID-19 patients at a facility in their community.
Guardian Media understands that Health Ministry officials on Friday informed the residents that 38 patients deemed to be recovering from the virus were to be moved from quarantine at the Couva Hospital into an old home for the aged located in Brooklyn Settlement last night.
Checks online found a facility named “Aging at Home,” located at 85 Brooklyn Settlement, Sangre Grande.
However, residents told Guardian Media the home was closed down some time ago and renovated for the purpose of housing the patients. They were disturbed when health officials began visiting homes in the area yesterday, informing them of the move and distributing brochures on self-quarantining measures and COVID-19. The residents said there were many at-risk groups in the community and they are concerned about their own well being since they do not know who will be allowed to leave and visit the home where the patients will be housed.
During a virtual press conference on Friday, Chief Medical Officer Dr Roshan Parasram confirmed that recovering COVID-19 patients will be transferred from the Couva Hospital to another facility but did not state where.
The residents were told some of the patients being moved into the facility are exhibiting mild symptoms while others are not. They want the recovering COVID-19 patients moved out of the area or say they will consider taking action.