NASSAU, BAHAMAS — With its first case of COVID-19 recorded this week, some residents of Inagua believe the recent easement of restrictions on the island could soon be reversed.
The first confirmed case was recorded on Tuesday; however, details on the infected individual remain unclear as the Ministry of Health has yet to provide case details.
Kenrick Major, owner of Three K’s Meat Mart, said his business opened on Mondays, Wednesday and Friday in accordance with the lockdown, and while business continued, it was noticeably slower.
The storefront has a variety of groceries and breadbasket items.
“I am grateful to be open because the last lockdown a lot of the curbside businesses were closed,” he said.
“And those restaurants, those who cook to make a living, a lot of people in Inagua do business from home as well, especially with cooking. That shutdown. We have almost 20 to 30 of those type of businesses here; people cooking from their homes to sell and that (the lockdown) shut everything down.”
Major said: “I don’t have a problem with the lockdown at all because when it comes to your health and for the good, I don’t have a problem with that. But when they take away all the curbside and nobody else is able to make a living and can’t pay their bills, that’s why some of us came together in trying to voice our opinion about that aspect of it.”
While he was grateful for the lifting of the lockdown, Major said he strongly believes contact tracing will uncover several more cases, which will prompt another lockdown.
He also said if it is necessary to curb the virus, he will support it.
“Well of course, and I am looking for that; we are looking for that to be honest,” Major said.
“I don’t want it, but I think when they come or if they’re going to come and test us and they find the person’s family, and whoever they’ve been hanging around with I guess; like friends or whoever they’ve been in contact with — they do all this [contact] tracing and they find a number of people that I guess test positive, I guarantee they are probably going to lockdown Inagua.”
Major, who works part time in security at the local clinic, pointed out that with such a small community of just over 1,000 people, a small number of cases presents a major challenge for the island.
Speaking to Eyewitness News about the recorded case, Inagua Island Administrator Marlon Leary said while the islands remains clear to resume commercial activity, residents should practice all protocols to curb the spread of the virus, including limiting outdoor activity and practicing social distancing.
“It is here now”, Leary said.
“We are encouraging people even more to practice the protocols that are put in by Ministry of Health officials; proper use of hand sanitization; washing of hands; wearing of masks; and we ask that you limit your outdoor activity even though we are still technically cleared to do commercial activity.
“We are asking persons if you have to go out to do your basic needs, not to have any large gatherings or any gatherings at all. Our main focus right now is to advise people to continue to adhere to the proper protocols as set out by the Ministry of Health personnel.”
Asked whether he believes another lockdown could be in store for the island, Leary said his focus remain son doing all that can be done to protect the safety of residents.
In early May, Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis announced commercial activity on several Family Islands in the southern Bahamas will be allowed to resume. However, due to a surge of COVID-19 cases since July 1 on at least 10 islands, the prime minister announced a nationwide lockdown for two weeks.
Minnis announced Monday lockdown and curfew measures would be lifted for the island, along with eight others.
Those include: Mayaguana, Crooked Island, Acklins, Long Cay, Chub Cay, Rum Cay, Ragged Island and Long Island.
