Residents of St. James Adhering to COVID-19 Protocols

As the country experiences a third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, citizens of St. James are doubling their efforts to protect themselves and their families against the virus.

Montego Bay resident, Shae Brown, told JIS News that she continues to observe and practise the COVID-19 safety protocols.

“I am doing the recommended things that everyone should be doing, [including] sanitising, [physical] distancing [and] wearing my mask. The fact that I still have to [physically] go to work, [adhering to the protocols] definitely plays a major role in staying safe,” Ms. Brown said.

She also highlighted that up to the time of the interview, she had already taken the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, and “I hope everyone is trying to do the same”.

Meanwhile, West Gate resident, Berniece Haughton, told JIS News that one of the ways she protects herself is by staying home as much as possible.

“If I don’t have to go anywhere, I don’t. If I do [go out], I ensure that I follow all the protocols, such as wearing my mask, I walk with a bottle of sanitiser, I keep wipes in the car, and whenever I go anywhere, I try to avoid the crowds as much as possible. I haven’t yet taken the vaccine… but I hope to do so soon,” Ms. Haughton said.

For his part, Dwayne Bennett stated that the protocols have become an important part of his daily routine.

“I wear a mask, I regularly sanitise my hands, I walk around with a big bottle of sanitiser and I avoid large gatherings. I didn’t like large gatherings before, so it was pretty convenient when I learned that that was one of the primary things you should do to avoid [getting the virus]. I am not yet vaccinated… but I will be,” he said.

As at August 26, St. James had 6,405 confirmed cases of COVID-19. Some 64,899 cases have, so far, been confirmed islandwide.