Parent-teacher body was not engage in shocking decision approving Champs

In a statement issued after the government yesterday gave its blessings to the May 11-15 event which will operate in a bio-secure bubble at the National Stadium minus spectators, the NPTAJ argued that “money” was being placed above the lives of the athletes as well as their families. It pointed out the high probability that athletes reside with family members who fall within the high-risk category which will put their loved ones at even greater risk of contracting the highly contagious respiratory virus that has infected more than 43,000 and linked to the death of some 713 people in Jamaica.

“We note with disappointment and utter shock that the authorities have given the go ahead for ISSA to stage Champs 2021,” it continued.

“More so that ISSA has proceeded to stage this event in the midst of a pandemic, with alarming positivity and death rates, when face-to-face school is still being prohibited given the rise in positive cases in recent weeks and after 134 schools would have reported positive cases, and children being the last category listed to receive the COVID-19 vaccinations, which is not expected to be administered to this category before the latter part of 2021 based on current trends.

“The risk of exposure from student-to-student, student-to-coach and coach-to-student, given that only some 135,000 Jamaican adults out of a population of 2.7 million have so far received their first dose of vaccinations: with the second dose expected to be received in June 2021, that small percentage is still not fully protected against COVID-19.”

President of the NPTAJ Mitsie Harris-Dillion told Old Harbour News that the stakeholder group was not engaged by the organisers in the discussions surrounding the issue. The NPTAJ is therefore seeking answers related to safety protocols for participants.

“The NPTAJ maintains its stance that we should allow for the vaccination programme to be fully rolled out to include our students, particularly high school students and even more critically our student athletes who still have to go home to their parents and grandparents and other family members, particularly those with comorbidities, thereby increasing their risk of exposure to COVID-19.”

So far this year, covid-19 cases have risen dramatically with data from the first three months of 2021 surpassing the total number of infections for all of last year. This has resulted in Prime Minister Andrew Holness imposing tighter curfew measures over the last three consecutive weekends. The measures have been relaxed somewhat for the next three upcoming weekends, as positivity rates began to trend downwards.

But the NPTAJ is contending that though the most recent data is pointing in the right direction it “is not sufficient to make us satisfied of the safety of all who will participate in this event”.

“Whilst we understand the economic value to be gained, we cannot in good conscience risk our children’s and families’ lives for money,” it added.

“The NPTAJ holds the government, organisers and sponsors responsible for any incidence of Covid-19 relating to Champs and any other planned sporting events and cautions our parents/guardians to carefully consider the associated risks and make the proper decisions concerning our children.”