‘Police only, no stranger allowed’ - Thompson Pen residents seek to keep out COVID-19

As the novel coronavirus sweeps across the island, the residents of Old Road in Thompson Pen, a community in Spanish Town, St Catherine, have taken the initiative to protect themselves from the disease by creating a checkpoint and a sanitisation station at the entrance of the avenue.

When the news team visited yesterday, Damion Boyd and Pete Bartley were on the ground monitoring the situation. Sparing no one, Boyd checked the temperature of THE STAR team with a handheld thermometer before allowing us into the community.

They also ensured there was strict adherence to social-distancing guidelines before agreeing to be interviewed.

"Mr Andrew (Holness) alone cannot do it and him a do him best. We are the ones who live here so we have to protect ourselves and the people who live here. Is Thursday gone we start, and this is the only roadblock that police nah guh fight," Bartley said.

Slow the spread

Old Road residents, like others in St Catherine, are required to be in their homes until Wednesday, when a lockdown, which was imposed to slow the spread of the virus, is scheduled to end. Boyd and Bartley, though, are two 'essential workers' as they ensure that the notice that has been placed at the entrance to the community is not only seen and understood but is also adhered to.

The notice reads: 'Police only, no stranger allowed'.

"We have not got a bad reaction and the persons are very cooperative. We are out here from like about 8 a.m. and we stay as late as possible. Although the sign says no strangers, they can pass through here, but they have to work with the procedure of getting their temperature checked and wash their hands. Is so we set the ting so dem just have to work with it or dem can't pass," Boyd said.

He said they tried to educate themselves as much as possible about the virus, and know the signs and symptoms.

"Recently, we checked a couple whose temperature was high. Dem say dem did a walk a come from far so we know say dat can make them temperature high. We make dem go tru but we nuh see dem again to give dem a second check. However, should we see anyone a show sign or them temperature high after we check them twice, we are going to inform the hospital or send them there because is walking distance from here so," he said.

Old Road resident Winsome Roberston-Campbell fully supports the move to establish the sanitisation station, and encourages other communities to follow suit to curb the spread of the deadly virus.

"I love it because we have a lot of children here so I appreciate this 100 per cent," she said.