GPHC staff required to show vaccination booklet or negative PCR test

Beginning on Thursday, all staff of the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC), its satellite clinics and the Ocean View hospital will be required to show their COVID-19 immunisation ‘blue book’ and identification card before they are allowed to enter the facilities.

Additionally, staff who are not vaccinated will be required to provide a negative PCR test result from an authorised private testing facility to ascertain that they are not infected with the disease.

This is according to a notice issued by the hospital’s Director (ag.) of Human Resources, Odessa Wickham. This notice was issued on Thursday to all Heads of Department and seen by the News Room.

It was noted that exemptions will only be made for those categories of people listed in the guidelines issued by the Chief Medical Officer (CMO), Dr. Narine Singh. These include: pregnant and breastfeeding women, people who tested positive for COVID-19, people who received blood transfusions and people with underlying conditions.

Meanwhile, the News Room was informed that these new requirements do not extend to patients and Head of Strategic Management and Communications, Chelauna Providence said that the hospital has not made any pronouncements on changes to patients’ admissions.

When contacted by the News Room, Providence explained that stakeholders within the hospital have met and discussed what contingency plans are needed but adjustments that may be needed would be determined based on turnout in the coming days.