Region Two mulls lock down if COVID-19 cases continue to rise

With a total of 200 active COVID-19 cases, the Pomeroon/ Supenaam region [Region Two] now ranks third in the country in terms of the highest active COVID-19 cases. This is according to Region Two Councilor and Regional Health Officer Ranjeev Singh.

During the Region’s Regional Democratic Council statutory meeting, Singh said that to date there have been some 1302 cases in the region.  Dr. Singh said that what is even more alarming, is the fact that for the past two weeks the region’s active cases have remained in the ‘200s.’

Singh said too, that while the increase in active cases can be attributed to the increase in testing, it is also linked to the irresponsibleness of persons and lack of enforced COVID-19 guidelines.

“One of the reasons is because we have increased testing at 200 and 300 testing per week. For us to have that curve flatten we have to up our enforcement.”

While on the subject of COVID-19, Regional Chairman Ms. Vilma Da Silva, threatened a regional lockdown, as the number of cases continued to spiral out of control.

“I am thinking about shutting the region down, if people are not observing guidelines, we will be forced to shut the region down. We have to take the steps to control what is going on in this region, because it is our region, and if people are unruly, we will have to take actions to flatten our curve.”

Dr. Singh, on the other hand, debated that a shutdown will not flatten the region’s curve, if there is poor enforcement of the COVID guidelines. “I do not fully endorse all that is said, we can shut down, but we must realise that covid is our responsibility, it is our personal responsibility. If people are still not adhering to the guidelines and the police can’t enforce the law then the curve would not flatten.”