Dead Tobago WASA guard tested negative for covid19

The covid19 test results of a security guard who worked for the Water and Sewerage Authority (WASA) in Tobago were negative.

This was reported in a press release from the THA Division of Health, Wellness and Family Development on Thursday.

On Sunday, THA Minority Leader and Public Services Association (PSA) president Watson Duke called on WASA to say whether the guard, a PSA member, had covid19.

She died on April 18 after showing flu-like symptoms at work.

Duke also called on WASA managers to say whether employees were put at risk by allowing her to work while she was ill.

Duke said on Facebook that staff had told managers she was coughing and had a high fever but nothing was done, and instead, the concerned workers were told to continue reporting for duty.

In response, WASA said appropriate health and safety measure had been taken, and the utility was following “all protocols under its business continuity plan and Ministry of Health guidelines, regarding the response to possible covid19 cases within the authority.”

It said it had no previous reports that the security officer had shown flu-like symptoms while at work.

The division’s release said the guard was swabbed and tested for covid19 and the results were negative.

When contacted, Duke said he can now breathe a sigh of relief knowing that Tobago is safer.

“My members are safer, a community is safer, in that all suspicions ,whether founded or unfounded, have been laid to rest.

He added, “I pray that this becomes a precedent in persons that may now experience sudden death."

He said everyone who died suddenly must be tested.

Let us not say, "It is heart attack, it’s high blood pressure, it’s a stroke'...we need to protect our society.”