Two-day extension for Operation Seek and Save

Operation Seek and Save was resumed for two additional days – today and tomorrow – as Government seeks to reach those households and communities that were missed in the first exercise.

The programme is a national initiative to assess the extent of households at risk from novel coronavirus (COVID-19) and dengue fever.

In a statement from the University of the West Indies Cave Hill Campus late this evening, lead coordinator of Operation Seek and Save, Dr Dion Greenidge, head of the Department of Management Studies at Cave Hill, where the data gathering system was designed, said the resumption of the operation will serve to get a more complete picture in relation to COVID-19 and dengue fever.

“It was always the original intention of the exercise to capture data from every household in Barbados, as we want to make sure we have not missed anyone who is at risk,” Greenidge explained.

The initial operation was conducted February 3 to 13, during which approximately 85 000 households were assessed.

Greenidge said they were very pleased with this achievement as this represents a majority of the households, but there is more work to be done.

“While our achievement in the first instance is quite commendable, over the next two days, we expect to capture a few hundred more households which were missed the first time,” he said.

Greenidge added that approximately 50 student-volunteers will be conducting this extension, given the reduced area to be covered.

The targeted communities include:

• St Andrew
• Coggins Hill
• Ermie Bourne Highway
• St Peter
• The Rock
• Heywoods Estate,
• St James
• Bakers Tenantry
• Kings Village
  Mount Standfast
• St Joseph
• Fisherpond Tenantry
• George
• Golden Ridge
• Michael
• Westbury Road
• Lower Burney
• Christ Church
• Durants
• Callendar
• Newton Terrace
• Kingsland
• Thomas
• Arthur Seat
• Philip
• Ocean City

Greenidge expressed his expectation that the operation will continue to run smoothly as student-volunteers have resumed with a new fervour having seen how successful the initial exercise has been.

“I have to thank the student volunteers who are doing this particular work for the first time, as well as the public who have been supportive and cooperative so far. It has been a good exercise and a successful one overall.”

The data gathered from this national survey, will be shared with Government’s health officials to guide the national COVID-19 testing efforts and to inform the wider public health strategy. (PR)