Gov’t expands line of communication for coronavirus, warns against spreading false information

These numbers are:
• 888-754-7792
• 876-542-5998
• 876-542-6007
• 876-542- 6006
• 876-542-5998
Members of the public may also make contact the Ministry via email using covid19@moh.gov.jm or jacovid19facts@gmail.com.

The Ministry is working to add more lines and other points of contact for members of the public to share their concerns relating to COVID-19.

Meantime, the government is urging persons to desist from circulating false information about COVID-19.

“We urge persons to desist from circulating false information about COVID-19 which will only create fear and hysteria”, Prime Minister Andrew Holnes tweeted last night in response to a plethora of misleading information since the first case was confirmed in Jamaica on Monday.

#FakeNews: the Government of Jamaica is urging persons to desist from circulating false information about COVID-19. pic.twitter.com/ZRzwvzoKsX

— Andrew Holness (@AndrewHolnessJM) March 12, 2020

“While concern and fear are natural human reactions, there is no need for panic, hysteria, fearmongering or spreading of misinformation. This will only detract from the efforts of the government and redirect time and precious resources to correcting false information and resolving unnecessary disputes.”

With a second imported case confirmed Wednesday, the government earlier today announced the closure of all public schools for 14 days effecttive March 13 in what the prime minister said is the activation of phase two of its COVID-19 preparedness and management response. Holness said the strategy is to lessen as best as possible the impact of the virus on the population.

“The first phase is that it is happening around us and we were trying to delay its arrival,” Holness explained at a press conference at Jamaica House. “This phase is it is here and what we can confirm is imported and therefore we are trying to trace the confirmed imported case to a zone around the imported cases and then we try to contain it within that case.

“The third case is if there is community spread to try and flatten (the impact)… and we are trying to ensure that whatever peak that may occur is within the capacity of the health system.”

Click here to learn more about COVID-19.