Long lines hurt senior citizens in St Catherine lockdown

On Wednesday, Barbara Bryan, 67, and her husband Franklin Bryan, 76, had one of the most unbearable experiences as they rushed to stock up on essential supplies.

The couple left their home in Portmore, St Catherine, a little after 8 a.m. and headed for MegaMart, but didn't arrive until two hours and 30 minutes later.

On a regular day, the journey would've taken less than 30 minutes.

They were caught up in the rush of persons who swarmed supermarkets, wholesales and other business places during the first day of the lockdown of St Catherine, which was announced on Tuesday evening by Prime Minister Andrew Holness. This was brought on by the rapid increase of COVID-19 cases in the parish.

He announced that pregnant women, the disabled, and persons over 65 would be allowed to go out for the 'essentials of life' between 8 a.m. and 10 a.m.

But at 10:30 a.m., Barbara was at the back of the line as her husband waited in his van.

As they rushed to make it back home in time, elongated lines at the entrance of the supermarket and the thick traffic that clogged the parish prevented them from doing so.

Barbara told THE WEEKEND STAR that they wanted to get home quickly, as they both have pre-existing health conditions and didn't want to be in a crowd.

"Me have diabetes and high blood pressure. My husband also has diabetes and high blood pressure, along with arthritis. Him can hardly walk so him drive and park up in here a wait pon me. We try our best to prepare because nobody not giving us anything," she said, shrugging her shoulders.

"So, we have to come look and see what we can try and pick up for ourselves, and at the same time we trying to be safe," she said, rushing to find a space in the growing line to get in the supermarket. Franklin could only look on helplessly as his arthritis prevents him from assisting.

"Me afi just take me medication and keep inside," Franklin said. "I also have to pick up some medication and I don't have anybody to do that for me, so I have to do it myself."

QUESTIONED BY POLICE

The couple was confronted by police for being on the road past 10 a.m. When they explained their dilemma, they were given a 'bly'.

"One piece of traffic on Dyke Road to reach here. So we spend over two hours to reach here and police say 1 o'clock not to catch us on the road," he said.

But judging by her position in the line, Barbara wasn't sure that was at all possible, and it frustrated her peace.

"I don't have a choice. If we don't make it before the time, all we have to do a try and explain. We can't do any better. It is a really long line. We have to wait so long fi get through. I'm trying my best to buy what I can afford to buy, which is not much. But at least me will have something," she said.