Georgetown: After panic buying created unnecessary crowds in markets and other shopping areas, Chief Executive Officer of the National COVID-19 Task Force, Joseph Harmon on Saturday said there won’t be a countrywide lockdown.
Within the past week rumors were abound that the incumbent will be using a total lockdown to delay the announcement of election results under the pretext of an increase in COVID-19 cases.
“I want to make this clear that the National Corona Task Force has not considered a national lockdown. What we have before us is a consideration for the extension of the current measures beyond the 3rd of June and this has nothing to do with a complete lockdown,” Harmon said in a video statement released by the State Media.
Harmon appealed to Guyanese to observe guidelines such as social distancing, hand-washing and wearing of masks in public. He emphasised that persons should only go outdoors for essential services.
Harmon’s statement came in the aftermath of the 12th death recorded as a result of COVID-19 complications.
Seventy-eight-year-old John Damon, a former patient of the Palms Geriatric Home died at the COVID-19 Intensive Care Unit at the Georgetown Public Hospital at around 00:40hrs on Saturday.
Mr. Damon, who had multiple complications, is also the second patient from the Palms to have died from COVID-19.
He was one of two persons at the COVID-19 ICU at the time.
Twelve persons were tested positive for the disease at the Palms following the death of its first patient – a 63-year-old man who was tested after he died –on May 01. 150 persons have so far tested positive for COVID-19 in Guyana. Of that amount, there are 71 active cases and 67 recoveries.
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