THE Westmoreland Health Department has embarked on a public education campaign to promote the sustained wearing of masks among fisherfolk and operators of bike taxis as part of measures to contain transmission of COVID-19 in the parish.
Health Promotion and Education Officer Gerald Miller told JIS News that officers have observed that a large segment of the fishing community and operators of bike taxis have not been wearing the protective gear, putting themselves and the public at risk.
“We have been visiting the fishing villages and have been engaging the fisherfolk, both the fishermen as well as the vendors, as it relates to the importance of wearing their mask and to wear it consistently,” Miller told JIS News.
Miller shares that residents in sections of Westmoreland heavily depend on bike taxis as a means of transportation, hence the use of face masks by the operators is critical.
Miller believes the sustained public education, including a demonstration of basic mask etiquette, will achieve positive results.