No happy birthday for senior citizen in quarantine

Mary Brown* celebrated her 68th birthday on Thursday, but instead of the usual festivities, she had to observe the milestone in a quarantine facility.

Brown is one of 200 persons who returned to the island on Wednesday under the government's controlled re-entry programme. She travelled from New York, where she has been stranded since the Government closed the ports to incoming passenger traffic to help control the spread of COVID-19.

Now that she has been allowed back into the country, Brown will be monitored in the quarantine facility to see if she has the novel coronavirus. If she does not develop any symptoms after 14 days, she will be sent home to be with her family members.

While having high praises for the hospitality of the flight crew and airport staff, she said that the treatment at the quarantine location in St Ann has been unsatisfactory.

"There were other buses there, so we waited in our bus for about three hours. I was so hungry. When it was time to take out the luggage there was no one to help us. I have arthritis, so my knees are not that good and mi who is a 60-odd-year-old woman had to take out the luggage alone from under the bus. We had to take it up the steps. A member of the bus staff, who see that I really couldn't manage, say that although she was warned not to come near us, she was going to help me," she said.

Brown said that she was not given any food and went to bed hungry.

Beg a bottle of water

"They said we should stay inside and don't even come out in the passage but when I feel the thirst and hunger, I had to push my head out the door and beg a bottle of water. I cried and my daughter cried on the phone with me. I was there waiting to see if they would knock my door but nobody did. When I finally fall asleep, I hear a knock and it was a man coming to ask mi some questions. I was so tired and I asked if it couldn't wait until in the morning but he said no. I never fall back asleep after that," she said.

Brown told THE WEEKEND STAR that on Thursday, she asked if she could get a cup of tea but was told that hot beverages were not served.

"I told him I was hungry and wanted to take my medication but he said I would be given breakfast and some juice. I told him I would rather the tea than the breakfast because I never ever drink cold things before I drink tea. He offered me some hot water and I took it and drink it," she said. When she finally got breakfast, it was another disappointment.

"It looked like something that some people would feed their dogs. One little piece a yam and a piece of dasheen. They were both cold and discoloured," she said.

Despite her ordeal, the senior citizen is grateful to be home and alive.

"I am giving God thanks and I am happy to be alive, so I definitely can't say it's my worse birthday. I am just happy to be home," she said

Health Minister Dr Christopher Tufton and Matthew Samuda, minister without portfolio in the national security ministry, on Thursday visited the quarantine facility amid the many complaints. Prime Minister Andrew Holness said that arising from the visit, some remedial actions have been taken and "we will do everything we can to completely rectify the situation".

"I must unreservedly apologise to every returning citizen who has had to endure less than favourable conditions. The issues encountered are completely unacceptable," he said.

*name changed