Health
TCHTA Partners with Ministry of Health to Boost Island’s Testing Capacity
#TurksandCaicos, January 28, 2022 – In response to the recent surge in demand for COVID-19 testing on-island, the TCHTA and Ministry of Health have formed a collaboration to address the volume and reduce long lines and wait times for residents looking to confirm their status for the continued protection of themselves and loved ones.
Following a meeting with the Minister of Health, Honourable Jamell Robinson, and his team, the Turks & Caicos Hotel and Tourism Association (TCHTA) made an immediate appeal to members requesting a training location, manpower, and the donation of Rapid COVID-19 Testing kits to outfit additional sites for the supplementation of existing testing stations and mobile units already deployed by the TCIG Ministry of Health and partners.
Working quickly to expand access on-island, TCHTA members submitted a list of volunteers who made themselves available for the training conducted by the Ministry of Health, guiding them in the proper administration of the nasopharyngeal Coronavirus AG Rapid Tests.
The training exercise was conducted by the Director of Health, Charlene Higgs, and members of the MOH team at the Ocean Club Resorts conference room. Staff members from the Ocean Club Resorts and The Hartling Group teams received training and were adequately prepared to launch testing on Monday, January 24th, 2022.
Harvest Bible Chapel and the Parish Church of St. Monica were designated as drive-thru testing sites, with services available 9 am to 12 pm, Mondays and Thursdays at each station, respectively. Testing by the TCHTA will run until February 17th, 2022.
Equipped with COVID-19 rapid test kits provided by the MOH and donations from Beaches Turks & Caicos, Amanyara Resort, The Hartling Group, COMO Parrot Cay, Ocean Club Resorts, and Grace Bay Club, the testing launched on Monday with a grand response from the public.
CEO of the TCHTA, Stacy Cox, shared “We are thankful to partner with the Ministry of Health for this exercise as we provide support to boost the volume of tests that can be administered to our residents during this time. We look at the need to increase the testing capacity quite positively, as it means that locally we are serious about knowing our status and ensuring we can take the necessary measures to protect ourselves and those around us. The TCHTA is always grateful to lend a helping hand to our government in whatever way we can, and we are thankful to our members whose support is always just an email or phone call away.”
The TCHTA invites anyone in need of testing to visit the satellite stations, and to share the information with their family members, coworkers, and friends. Testing is available to all, with Government-issued identification needed for registration.
“We believe that every Turks & Caicos Islander deserves easy access to testing, and our resort teams are proud to lend our support to this initiative”, said Mr. Wilbert Mason, General Manager of Ocean Club Resorts. He continued, “It is important that we look out for one another and keep each other safe through vaccinations and regular testing to impede the spread of the virus in our communities and to the vulnerable among us.”
The TCHTA also joins with the Ministry of Health in encouraging residents to get vaccinated and boosterized, and to follow the TCI Health Promotions & Advocacy Facebook page for regular updates on testing, vaccine clinics, and official COVID-19 information.