NATIONAL ADDRESS COVID-19 RESPONSE UPDATE
The Most Hon. Dr. Hubert A. Minnis Prime Minister
Monday 13 April 2020
Office of the Prime Minister Cecil Wallace-Whitfield Centre West Bay Street
Fellow Bahamians and Residents: Good evening.
Following the Easter break and the most recent lockdown, I want to give you an update on where we are in our fight against COVID-19.
I also want to talk with you about the way forward during the coming week and the weeks and months ahead. We are making progress.
Our physical distancing measures, curfews and lockdowns are having an effect.
But we still have a long way to go.
We must and we will remain vigilant.
Now is not the time to let down our guard.
There will be no complacency on the part of your Government.
We must remain on full alert.
As a medical doctor, I know full well that patients recover best after they have gone through their full course of antibiotic medication, therapy and proper rest.
We will not recover properly unless we are disciplined in applying the right and necessary measures to restore our country to better health.
I continue to thank the Bahamian people for their fortitude for their patience, and our collective determination to work together during this time.
The Government has a full, comprehensive and vigorous response to COVID-19 which includes: health agencies, social services, finance, NIB, the uniformed branches and every ministry and agency of government.
Through the National Coordinating Committee, we are working with the private sector, the non-profit community and others to fight this threat to our lives, to our social well-being and to our economy and livelihoods.
I wish to make a strong appeal to my fellow medical doctors in private practice to help us in the fight against COVID-19.
We all took a solemn oath to save and to protect human lives. During this hour of great need, I urge more of my former colleagues to join in this fight. We need every heath professional available to fight this grave threat.
It is with abundant gratitude that I thank all of those who are a part of our citizen army working in solidarity to save and to protect life, and to help others in this time of need.
Let me also inform you that we are carefully monitoring what other countries and jurisdictions are doing. We are learning what is working and what is not working in other places.
Fellow Bahamian and Residents:
I wish to begin by providing you with a health update. Health Officials will provide a further update and details tomorrow.
It has been approximately one month since the first confirmed case of COVID-19 was reported in The Bahamas.
Earlier today, the Ministry of Health reported two additional confirmed cases of COVID-19, bringing the total number of confirmed cases in The Bahamas to 49, as of Monday the 13th of April, 2020. Eight of the COVID- 19 positive patients have died.
The patients who have succumbed to COVID-19 were older in age and had significant comorbidities or conditions that are known to cause a poor outcome in COVID-19.
These conditions include: essential hypertension, asthma, obesity and malignancy or cancer. These underlying conditions led to dire outcomes as well as to the severity of their infections and pneumonias.
Several of these patients were intubated and supported with critical care but were unable to recover.
There are additional factors related to those who have been tested for the SARS-coronavirus-2 (the virus that causes COVID-19) in The Bahamas to date.
Health officials have been prioritizing testing to individuals with moderate and severe disease. This is the case because of the real challenges related to testing limitations in the face of the global shutdown.
This means that as testing expands, more people will be diagnosed with COVID-19 in The Bahamas, including those with mild symptoms.
The Ministry of Health plans to expand testing this week. This will result in an increase in the number of cases.
Health officials are closely monitoring the case numbers as this will inform where we are in the surge.
As we get a broader picture of the true extent of COVID-19 in The Bahamas, this data should reflect that the case fatality rate is indeed lower.
Information from the field is also informing us that some populations are particularly hard hit and have higher mortality rates from COVID-19.
Our health team is continuing to compile information on the COVID-19 outbreak in The Bahamas that will help to guide our health strategy, including measures like curfews and lockdowns.
We continue to strategize and act to manage COVID-19 to the best of our ability, to prevent a surge in cases and to prevent the loss of countless lives.
I understand the many burdens associated with the curfews and lockdowns, including for the poorest and more vulnerable in our society.
I understand the mental health challenges, the loneliness, the difficulties, problems and anxiety caused by various measures.
But rest assured that we have put in place these restrictions and guidelines to save lives.
The more you abide by physical distancing, by wearing masks and by staying at home, the quicker we can ease restrictions at the appropriate time. I wish to announce that the South Beach Clinic was prepared for
operation as a COVID-19 facility on Sunday the 12th of April.
When fully operational, this facility will be able to accommodate an additional 10 COVID-19 patients.
Fellow Bahamian and Residents:
I want to discuss the shopping schedule with you. This is a work in progress and we will continue to work to improve the schedule.
I am grateful for your suggestions and ideas.
We also need your patience and your cooperation. We will make adjustments as events warrant.
The shopping schedule is designed to limit the spread of the virus and to ensure that Bahamians and residents have the time to purchase food. We are trying to balance these goals as carefully as possible.
As we continue to improve how the shopping schedule works and balance the need to limit community spread and the need for people to get food, we are temporarily suspending the food shopping alphabetical schedule.
Because of the short week we are in this week, the alphabetical shopping schedule will be temporarily suspended effective tomorrow, Tuesday, April 14th through Friday, April 17th.
An alphabetical shopping schedule will come back into effect on Monday the 20th of April.
Grocery stores will be open from 6am to 7pm.
The time from 6 a.m. to 8 a.m. Monday to Friday will be reserved for seniors and persons with disabilities.
Police will be present at major stores to support physical distancing measures.
Effective immediately, during the weekend lockdowns, grocery stores will be allowed to operate on Saturdays from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. for essential workers only
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