The government needs all hands on deck to assist in addressing the coronavirus disease.
Working in line with the Health Department, as the lead agency, is St John Ambulance, who are doing their utmost best to raise awareness as well as prepare their response team.
During a recent press conference at the NCD City Hall with Governor Powes Parkop, one important partner present was the St. John Ambulance CEO, Matt Cannon. He explained the role of St. John and how it was contributing to the COVID-19 response.
“Our roles will be twofold: We’re helping to conduct education campaigns based on the information that’s been put out by the Health Department and the evidence from the WHO.
“Right now, my team is at two locations conducting those very small groups where we’re keeping social distance of two meters where possible.
“A second part is the emergency response. We’ll be assisting the Health Department and the provincial health authority in the response to any potential coronavirus cases and we’ve had one potential response that we’ve done recently and working with the department and their surveillance teams to do that.
“The second part would be to transport any patients that are considered to be at risk or having symptoms consistent with coronavirus that need investigation and hospital.”
St. John’s staff are now working with NCD Provincial Health Authority and Assistant Commissioner of Police, Anthony Wagambie Jnr, to train-the-trainer in the COVID-19 awareness.
They are also doing awareness at bus stops, communities and police stations, giving out messages on using safety equipment and handwashing.
The SJA are also careful in protecting their own personnel so they are organising with the government to procure more personal protection equipment for their officers as well as for the police personnel whom they will be working with on the frontlines if the incident was to escalate.