The Tribune

By LEANDRA ROLLE

Tribune Staff Reporter

lrolle@tribunemedia.net

THE Royal Bahamas Defence Force has discontinued new entry training due to the “quick spread of COVID-19” among its latest intake of recruits.

“New entry training has been discontinued at this time, to allow the proper management and treatment of those testing positive for the virus and to keep non-COVID positive recruits in isolation,” the RBDF said in a statement released on Saturday.

“Steps have been taken to sanitise the training facility, lodging, classrooms and other common spaces occupied or utilised by the recruits and training staff.”

The RBDF said the recruits will continue to be quarantined/isolated onboard HMBS Coral Harbour and monitored closely by the agency’s force medical officer, registered nurses and emergency medical technicians.

“The recruits, who are all asymptomatic and tolerating their exposure well, are on a vitamin and electrolyte regiment to boost their immunity and clear the virus from their system,” the RBDF added. “Moreover, they have been briefed on protocols to follow should they or their fellow recruits exhibit any symptoms.”

Recruits and instructors are being screened twice daily.

Force medical officer, Dr Derwin Johnson said: “The situation is in control and the recruits will be retested for viral clearance as per international standards.”

The remaining three weeks of training will ensue once a medical all-clear is given for the recruits, the RBDF said.

Last week, National Security Minister Marvin Dames said despite some active cases among law enforcement, the agencies were still carrying out their mandates.

“Listen, these agencies are very large agencies and they’re just a microcosm of our wider society and so it is expected therefore that given the nature of what they do... there will be some numbers within the ranks of these agencies impacted,” Mr Dames said last Tuesday.

“I mean to date, I believe the defence force has some 18 active cases and the police force, three active cases and so as far as the police force is concerned, those numbers have trended downward significantly.”

His comments came a day after health officials revealed the uniform branches led the way in terms of contacts’ workplace exposure by occupation, followed by health workers and those in the category of trade, utility and construction.