There will be an isolation space at all 867 Jamaican shelters that will be provided by the government during the current hurricane season.

Speaking at the National Hurricane Preparedness Campaign Launch at Jamaica House, Richard Thompson, acting director general of the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM), said the isolation area will be used for individuals who are displaying COVID-19 symptoms.

“In keeping with COVID-19 shelter protocol, ‘shelterees’ need to know that they will be screened before entering the shelter. They should notify the shelter staff immediately if they are feeling any kind of illness or COVID-related symptoms,” Thompson said.

“Persons who are exhibiting symptoms will be placed in an isolation area and every shelter came equipped with an isolation area in terms of our shelter assessment.”

READ: Jamaica in preparation mode ahead of hurricane season – ODPEM

Desmond McKenzie, minister of local government and rural development, said: “We are almost 100 per cent ready in terms of our shelters. There are 867 shelters islandwide and we have assessed almost 90 per cent of shelters across the island.

“The question has been raised about isolations in regards to COVID-19, all our centres are equipped with isolation areas, so that persons, if they come down with COVID, will be relocated to these shelters.”

According to Thompson, individuals who will be going to shelters are required to take along water, medication, non-perishable food items, first-aid kits, facemasks and personal sanitisation products such as sanitisers and soaps.

Thompson said to facilitate COVID-19 guidelines, shelters across the island have been reduced by approximately 50 per cent, which is now 40 square feet per person instead of the 20 square feet that it used to be.

In the meantime, both Thompson and McKenzie said the ODPEM is prepared to take on the challenges of the hurricane season, which is expected to generate above-normal weather systems this Atlantic season.

They said shelter management training has been conducted for emergency and preparedness stakeholders, with the emphasis being on COVID-19 guidelines.

“Training and capacity building took place in 2020 and we will continue to add on this, with the additional community volunteers being trained and sensitised,” Thompson said.

According to Thompson, ODPEM has revamped the website, which will now enable individuals to easily find the nearest shelters, through a shelter management mapping software.