THE County Medical Officer of Health for County Caroni Dr Jeanine St Bernard is discouraging bar hopping.
She said this is leading to the spread of Covid-19 and has met with the Bar Keepers and Operators Association whose members have agreed to spread the message of takeaway.
Dr St Bernard said while bar keepers do not have jurisdiction to patrons gatherings outside their bars and on the pavements, they have agreed to discourage such behaviour.
Covid-19 regulations state that patrons of bars must only use the takeaway service as no in-house consumption was allowed.
She was speaking at the virtual presser of the Ministry of Health on Saturday.
Dr St Bernard said there was a surge of Covid-19 cases in the county of Caroni.
She said cases were reported mainly in southern areas of the county including Freeport and Claxton Bay.
Dr St Bernard said there were currently in the county, 60 Covid-19 cases which has resulted in 900 primary, secondary and tertiary contacts who have been quarantined at their homes.
She said all these contacts whether symptomatic or not will be swabbed for Covid-19.
Dr St Bernard gave an example of an ill individual who was tested for Covid-19 but went to church before receiving a positive result. This case generated 23 primary, 46 secondary and 41 tertiary contacts.
She said another Covid-19 positive case from the county was associated with a bar.
Dr St Bernard said members of the protective services within County Caroni were also affected by the surge, with 41 primary contacts, 154 secondary contacts, and 51 tertiary contacts being generated.
Some people were refusing to be swabbed even though they were living with a Covid-19 positive person, she said.
