(CMR) An already struggling Antigua healthcare system has been placed under further pressure after nine doctors at Mount St John’s Medical Centre tested positive for COVID-19.
The Head of marketing at the facility, Salma Crump, told the Antigua Observer that the hospital was facing staffing issues as COVID-19 continues to affect medics.
“People refer to folks on the frontline as heroes, but they are just regular men and women that are taking care of people. This is what happens when you are on the frontline. This is what our workers are exposed to,” she said
“We don’t have staff waiting in the wings if any members of our team get sick. So that’s why when we tell folks to wear a mask, we want them to take it seriously. When we say to social distance, and we tell them every day to take this pandemic seriously…this is what we are trying to avoid. Our staff getting sick is what we are trying to avoid,” an emotional Crump added.
Last month, the country's Health Minister said that a shortage of local medics had prompted the government to consider soliciting a team of medics from Cuba to help fill the gap.
The total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Antigua and Barbuda is 803, with 455 active cases and 21 deaths.
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