The Government is seeking 600 rooms across the four health regions to be used as transitional houses for persons who are recovering from the coronavirus (COVID-19), and is appealing to the public for its assistance in identifying places that can be used. Owners of hotels with available rooms or those that are no longer being used are encouraged to engage...

Public health inspectors in St. James have been deployed to the ports of entry in the parish as part of efforts to contain and prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19). “As you know, those are front-line areas, therefore, the staffing there is crucial,” Deputy Chief Public Health Inspector, Roshaye McFarlane, told JIS News. “So at this point, we...

The Ministry of Health and Wellness is assuring the public that the required protocols for the screening of incoming travellers are being followed at airports and seaports. Director of the Emergency, Disaster Management and Special Services (EDMSS) Branch at the Ministry, Dr. Nicole Dawkins-Wright, told JIS News that the country’s public health surveillance system has been in place long before...

The Betting, Gaming and Lotteries Commission (BGLC) is calling on persons and organisations that undertake prize promotions to contact the Commission for approvals. Conversely, the general public is encouraged to call the BGLC to confirm whether a competition has been authorised and to report any competition that alters its rules after advertising. Director of Licensing and Registration at the BGLC,...

President of the Court of Appeal, Dennis Morrison, has issued Emergency Practice Directions in light of COVID-19, suspending all in-person hearings in chambers and open court until Monday, May 11, 2020. The action has been taken to protect the health of judges, staff members, close protection officers, security guards at the Court of Appeal, attorneys-at-law and members of the public...

Mayor of Savanna-la-Mar, Bertel Moore, says the Westmoreland Municipal Corporation is taking all the necessary precautions to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) in the parish. In an interview with JIS News, Councillor Moore pointed out that the municipality has employed additional staff members at the parish’s infirmary to ensure that proper sanitisation is done at the facility...

An eight-member Special Select Committee of Parliament has been appointed to oversee Jamaica’s response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak. The Committee is chaired by Minister of Health and Wellness, Dr. the Hon. Christopher Tufton, and includes Attorney-General, Hon. Marlene Malahoo Forte; the Most. Hon. Juliet Holness; Dr. Norman Dunn; Marissa Dalrymple-Philibert; Dr. Morais Guy; Mark Golding; and Dr. Angela Brown...