Black Immigrant Daily News

Residents encouraged to participate in PEARL survey

The Ministry of Education and Sports has announced the commencement of a survey in association with the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States’ Program for Educational Advancement and Relevant Learning (PEARL).

The program was launched recently to create a new educational experience for children of the OECS, creating greater access to quality education for children.

One of the areas of focus for Antigua and Barbuda is Special Educational Needs.

Education Officer Special Needs Education, Joyann-Ann Harrigan, is encouraging administrators, educators, healthcare professionals and parents to participate in the process through Survey Monkey.

“There are seven surveys and each group of persons will answer a survey specific to them. Once they have completed that survey and they click submit on Survey Monkey, it goes directly off to the OECS group,” Harrigan explained.

She detailed that the survey is taking place simultaneously in all OECS territories and once the information is gathered, stakeholders will come together and hold discussions on the way forward.

“We will all meet and have a discussion based on what the data is saying. It is to improve special educational needs services within the OECS for the students, for our teachers, for our educators, for our parents, for the community in all spheres.”

The survey will remain open until the end of October, 2022.

Four main components are contained in the US $ 10 million OECS PEARL program.

They include:

Enhanced quality and equity of access to Early Childhood Education
Enhanced Curriculum and Assessment
Strengthened Leadership and Management
Program Management, Institutional Strengthening, Monitoring and Evaluation

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Black Immigrant Daily News

El Departamento de Salud informó que se encuentran bajo investigación siete personas por un posible contagio por leptospirosis a raíz del contacto con agua contaminada con orina animal, a lo cual se ha expuesto la población tras las inundaciones registradas luego del paso del huracán Fiona hace una semana.

“La leptospirosis es una enfermedad bacteriana que puede causar condiciones de salud graves en los riñones, hígado, meningitis, dificultad para respirar y sangrado. Es una enfermedad que podría ser letal. Desde la semana pasada emitimos un aviso y estamos haciendo un llamado a la ciudadanía para que conozcan cómo prevenirla, específicamente, que se alejen de aguas contaminadas”, expresó el secretario de la agencia, Carlos Mellado López, en declaraciones escritas.

Los siete casos identificados, que se dividen en cuatro hombres y tres féminas, están a la espera de los resultados de la muestra tomada, aunque se detalló que ya iniciaron un tratamiento con antibióticos. Asimismo, se informó que las edades fluctúan entre los 10 y 69 años en las regiones de Bayamón, Ponce, Caguas, Mayagüez y la zona metropolitana.

A continuación, información provista por el DS respecto al manejo de casos en instituciones hospitalarias y detalles sobre síntomas y cómo evitar el contagio:

“El lunes pasado, 19 de septiembre de 2022, se compartió un Aviso de Salud sobre la enfermedad a las facilidades de salud, a todos los hospitales, CDTs, Centros 330 y clínicas de diálisis y la Guía para el manejo de casos de pacientes relacionados a dicha enfermedad.  La Guía está disponible a través del portal https://www.salud.gov.pr/leptospirosis.

El periodo de incubación de la leptospirosis es de dos a 30 días; la mayoría de los casos de enfermedad se producen de cinco a 14 días después de la exposición. Entre los primeros síntomas de la enfermedad destacan los siguientes: fiebre, dolor de cabeza, dolores musculares, ojos enrojecidos, vómitos, diarrea, dolor abdominal, ictericia (piel y ojos amarillentos), sarpullido y tos.

A continuación, algunas recomendaciones para evitar contagiarse con leptospirosis:

    No camine, nade, no se bañe, ni sumerja la cabeza o trague agua de inundación o de cualquier cuerpo de agua que pueda estar contaminado con orina de animales o agua de la inundación.
    Cubra las cortaduras de la piel con vendajes o curitas a prueba de agua u otro tipo de material que no permita la entrada de agua.
    Si va a manejar con escombros, utilice ropa de mangas largas, cubra la mayor parte de la piel, use guantes, gafas de seguridad y zapatos cerrados.
    No camine afuera descalzo. Use ropa, guantes, zapatos cerrados o botas protectoras a prueba de agua, cerca de aguas o tierra mojada que puedan estar contaminadas.
    No utilice agua de inundación o de cuerpos de agua para limpiar la casa o lavar ropa. 
    Mantenga los alimentos y la basura en recipientes cerrados y, si puede, coloque trampas para ratas.
    Si usted se siente enfermo y tiene los siguientes síntomas debe buscar evaluación médica de inmediato.  Detección temprana salva vidas.

Para información visite la página del Departamento de Salud https://www.salud.gov.pr/ o la del Centro para el Control y Prevención de Enfermedades https://www.cdc.gov/leptospirosis/es/los-huracanes-y-la-leptospirosis.html”. 

“El tratamiento contra la enfermedad es más eficaz cuando se inicia lo mas pronto posible”, finalizó Mellado López.

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Black Immigrant Daily News

The Canadian government announced Monday it will no longer require people to wear masks on planes to guard against COVID-19.

Transport Canada said the existing rules for masks will come off October 1.

“We are able to do this because tens of millions of Canadians rolled up their sleeves and got vaccinated,” Transport Minister Omar Alghabra said.

Government officials also confirmed Canada is dropping the vaccine requirement for people entering the country at the end of the month.

Canada, like the United States, requires foreign nationals to be vaccinated when entering the country. No change in the mandate is expected in the US in the near term.

Unvaccinated foreign travelers who are allowed to enter Canada are currently subject to mandatory arrival tests and a 14-day quarantine.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government has agreed to let a cabinet order enforcing mandatory COVID-19 vaccination requirements at the border expire September 30. The Associated Press reported last week Trudeau signed off on it.

The government is also ending random COVID-19 testing at airports. Filling out information in what became an unpopular ArriveCan app will also no longer be required. Some blamed it for delays at airports.

The government will also no longer be required passengers to have pre-board tests for cruise ships.

“The removal of border measures has been facilitated by a number of factors, including modelling that indicates that Canada has largely passed the peak of the Omicron BA.4- and BA.5-fuelled wave, Canada’s high vaccination rates, lower hospitalisation and death rates, as well as the availability and use of vaccine boosters (including new bivalent formulation), rapid tests, and treatments for COVID-19,” the government said in a release.

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Black Immigrant Daily News

Police have confirmed that there was a shooting incident without reported injuries in The Ivy, St Michael, this morning (September 26).

Residents in the area reported hearing the shots around 10:15 am in the Back Ivy.

Police have told Loop News that there was a report about 10am today of gunshots being fired in the area of the four cross with Roger’s Road and Ivy Main Road, St Michael. It is understood that two persons were shooting at each other. No one was injured and no reported damage to property was reported to the Barbados Police Service.Four spent cartridges were found at the scene.

The four-cross junction was blocked by police personnel as investigations were conducted.

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