Bahamas News
Bahamas: Who Should and Should Not Wear Face Masks, and Important Protocols for Those Wearing Masks
#NASSAU, The Bahamas — People all over the world are choosing to buy masks to protect themselves from COVID-19 to the point where many stores have empty shelves.
However, Deputy Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Delon Brennen explained during a recent interview that there are reasons why healthcare providers recommend that only sick people and healthcare workers should utilize masks.
“The reason masks are most useful for sick people is because for example if 10 of us enter a room, and there is one sick person in the room, you can use the one mask to put on the person who is sick; they would then cough into the mask and their respiratory droplets would not get onto anyone or surfaces or anything like that.
“Even if that one person who is sick does not have a mask on and you put nine masks on the other people in the room, yes that person when they cough, the masks will theoretically protect you from breathing in those particles immediately — but what it does not do is protect that environment.”
He explained, “So it does not go in your nose or mouth, but it goes on your hands, it goes on your phone, it goes on the handles to the door or whatever entry there is; it goes on other surfaces like tables and chairs. So when you go and you touch that surface, or you touch your phone, touch the handles, you then pick up the germs onto your hands and unfortunately if you touch your eyes, your nose, your mouth, you would then have the virus on your mucus membranes and have the potential of introducing it to yourself.”
Dr. Delon stated that the most important thing to do is to put a mask on a person who is coughing or sneezing and who has the respiratory symptoms to go along with it; and this is whether it is in regard to COVID-19, influenza, or the common cold: then the whole environment has been protected.
He also noted that healthcare workers need masks because they are going to take care of not just one person but multiple people with respiratory issues.
The Deputy CMO said for them wearing a mask means that they are protected from multiple people, and in general healthcare workers do a little bit better job of washing their hands and having good hand hygiene.
“So while someone may cough in the environment and they (healthcare providers) too might get it on their hands and surfaces, each time they go to see a patient or when they go and are done with seeing a patient, they do a lot better with cleansing their hands and so they are less likely to pass it on themselves.”
He also explained that there is a whole procedure behind putting on and taking off a mask.
Before putting on a mask a person should always wash their hands and then take the mask off from the back. “You never want to touch the front of the mask because, theoretically, as you are breathing, those particles that you were trying not to get into your nose have now been attached to the mask. If you touch the front of the mask, [the particles are] now on your hands. So you take it off from the back, you then make sure it drops directly into the bin — you wash before you take it off from the back, drop it directly in the bin, and then you wash your hands again.”
The Deputy CMO stressed that when healthcare providers suggest that people wear masks in public, it is for the patient specifically so that one of two things does not happen: the patient who has a respiratory illness does not pass it onto someone else; and the patient who has an immunocompromised condition and who is susceptible to infections does not get infected by something. “But again, it is a very rare scenario, there is a whole protocol around that as well, and you are not expected to wear it for long periods of time.
“You are only supposed to wear it for at the most two hours, and then you are supposed to get a new mask because as you might imagine the mask then becomes wet and all sorts of organisms and fomites that are out there can now be attracted to the mask.”
Dr. Brennen added, “So if you wear it for much longer, you have now defeated the whole purpose because you have attracted more to the mask than otherwise. Then it loses its ability to protect you the longer that goes on.”
BIS NEWS by Llonella Gilbert
NASSAU, Bahamas — Caribbean Bottling Company (CBC), local producers and distributors of Coca-Cola and Dasani products concluded their 10 weeklong Twist To Win campaign with four $5,000 Mall at Marathon shopping sprees.
The campaign which was available throughout the entire Bahamas allowed consumers to enter by purchasing a 20oz bottle with a yellow cap
from the following brands: Coca-Cola, Coca-Cola No Sugar, Sprite, Fanta Orange, or Fanta Grape. Each yellow-cap had a unique alpha numeric code underneath which they submitted to the Twist To Win WhatsApp number.
With each qualifying purchase, participants residing in The Bahamas were entered to win instant prizes and into a grand prize draw to win one of four $5,000 shopping sprees at the Mall at Marathon.
Participants also enjoyed exciting instant prizes such as: Airpods, JBL Speakers, premium Coca-Cola merchandise, $500 Visa gift cards and Amazon, Spotify and Apple Music digital gift cards.
Out of 76,000 plus submissions, Brian Bethel, Ashia Demeritte, Merlin Adams, and Taraceta Neely won the coveted Mall at Marathon shopping sprees at the following select stores, Kelly’s House & Home, The Sports Center, John Bull, Brass & Leather, and BTC.
Leading up to the grand finale shopping spree, Coca-Cola hosted a Trivia Showdown with the eight finalists to determine the four winners. Finalists were tested on their knowledge of World History, Pop Culture, Caribbean Bottling Company and Coca-Cola Facts!
After a few rousing rounds of trivia, the four winners were declared after each winning their spot in the shopping spree by answering their questions correctly and choosing the “Grand Prize” Coca-Cola labeled bottles at random.
The morning of the shopping spree Coca-Cola gave the winners exclusive access to the Mall at Marathon and its participating stores before
their usual operating hours. Grand prize winners were greeted with wide smiles from Coca-Cola brand representatives and morning bites before the big event.
At the start of the thirty-minute clock the grand prize winners along with each of their Coca-Cola shopping assistants ran to the various stores collecting items in their arms and carts.
Merlin Adams, a husband and father of four was proud to have executed his game-plan at the end of the shopping spree. With toys, a new phone and materials for his home from Kelly’s, Adams felt accomplished in what he gathered.
Taraceta Neely, a winner from Eleuthera collected beautiful bags for herself and relatives from Brass and Leather and Brian Bethel bought matching athletic and outdoor wear from The Sports Center for his family.
The final winner Ashia Demeritte bought linens and household items in addition to a new phone from BTC right in time for Christmas.
Caribbean Bottling Company is proud to share the real magic of Coca-Cola with the grand prize winners and the may instant prize winners across the Twist To Win campaign. For more updates on new products, promotions, and events follow www.cbcbahamas.com.
Bahamas News
The Coca-Cola Art Project Astonishes Art Lovers at The Bahamas Culinary & Arts Festival
NASSAU, Bahamas — Caribbean Bottling Company (CBC), local producers and distributors of Coca-Cola and Dasani products displayed
their astonishing Coca-Cola Art Project (CCAP), during Baha Mar’s five-day Culinary & Arts Festival. Earlier this year, Coca-Cola partnered with The University of The Bahamas’ Visual Art and Design Department for a culturally rich art competition. UB’s art students were challenged to create pieces surrounding the theme, Bahamian music.
As a result, 20 student works of art were made, with four students declared as winners at the CCAP exhibit opening in Baha Mar’s ECCHO: Art Gallery in August. To recreate the culturally stimulating magic felt at the exhibit’s premiere, the CCAP was featured at the FUZE Art Tent during The Bahamas Culinary & Arts Festival.
Nine incredible pieces of art lined the walls of the Coca-Cola Art Project, four of which included the winning pieces from Jhanaisia Cole,
with ‘Gaulin Bride’; Alyssa Pinder, with ‘Shotgun Wedding’; Nelson Gray, with ‘Untitled’; and Jaela Bowe, with the piece ‘Whims of Obeah, a Folktail’. Additionally, an intimate listening room was built. It displayed students’ artistic processes, UB Visual Art and Design representatives, and a recap of the exhibit opening for audiences.
Art enthusiasts also enjoyed premium limited-edition CCAP keepsakes at the booth. Journals which featured a collage of all 20 student submissions on the front and back cover, postcards with an art piece on the cover along with the student’s name, title, dimension and materials on the back and pens designed with the CCAP’s dynamic logo.
Throughout the art festival diverse groups of people visited the art tent taking in the displays while enjoying the artistic insights from the
listening booth.
Community and culture are always at the forefront of Caribbean Bottling Community, and it was boldly showcased during The Bahamas Culinary & Arts Festival for the third consecutive year.
For more details on the Coca-Cola Art Project, events and new products visit www.cbcbahamas.com today!
NASSAU, Bahamas — Caribbean Wines & Spirits (CWS), The Bahamas’ premier wines and spirits distributor delighted Jollification
attendees with bubbles from their Bottega and Bouvet Ladubay sparkling wines and Besserat de Bellefon champagne lines.
Located in the Monument Circle on The Retreat grounds, CWS transformed The Retreat Garden into a lush lounge with Besserat, Bouvet and their latest product addition, Bottega, during the two-day affair.
The festivities kicked off Friday during BNT Member’s Night. Guests enjoyed exclusive offerings from CWS’s catalogue, offered exclusively to members. Complimentary mixes or glasses on the rocks included El Tequileno tequila, Hard Truth whiskey, House of Angostura rum, Cross Keys gin, Nemiroff vodka and a slew of wines such as Fonesca Bin, Bottega and Besserat.
Guests also savored the ‘Jolly Paloma’ cocktail, an instant favorite made with El Tequileno tequila, Schweppes Grapefruit and Domaine de Paris rose wine. To end the night, guests were treated to branded limited-edition wine tumblers as keepsakes.
On Saturday and Sunday, Jollification attendees delighted in glasses or bottles of champagne and sparkling brut or rosé wines while taking
in the comfort of the chic lounge. In addition to purchasing bottles for onsite consumption, consumers were also able to purchase bottles as gifts whether for themselves or someone special.
The sophisticated “bubble lounge” lounge was decked with velvet couches, gold rimmed cocktail tables, blue and pink pillows, and a white floral branded backdrop created for capturing the perfect picture.
Caribbean Wines & Spirits, a historic partner of the Bahamas National Trust was pleased to support Jollification 2025 to kick off the festive season and share their expansive range of spirits.
To keep up to date with all CWS products and events, visit their website at www.cwsbahamas.com today.
