Page 77 - Gilbert & Me_Neat

essential services to city residents, but they’re not taking in any revenue. Trade licence renewals,
permits, driving licence renewals and various other forms of income for the local authority dried
up as businesses ceased operations, and their subvention from Central Government (which
wasn’t much to begin with) has been severely reduced as well. It’s a very challenging time for
the mayor and his team.

There’s also an item about some very odd looking cubicles that Mayor Wagner and the city
council have donated to the three local healthcare centres in the city – KHMH, Cleopatra
Polyclinic and Matron Roberts Clinic - to help staff carry out COVID-19 testing. Now, I’ve seen
on the news a lot of reports about how and where COVID-19 testing is being done and by whom,
and mostly its by medical personnel wearing full personal protective equipment (PPE), i.e. full
body covering, mask, face screen and disposable gloves. These people stand either next to cars I
n which the people to be tested are sitting, or next to a table on which pieces of testing equipment
are situated.

They swab noses, or the inside or mouths or point a thermometer at the forehead to take a
reading. There’s nothing standing between the medical staff and the potential patients – those
being tested. There doesn’t appear to be a need to anything. So, I’m confused about why the
Belize City Council has had made and donated what appear to be mobile cubicles with extended
rubber arms.

Do you need
help, Bro?!

When demonstrated, it’s even more confusing. Here’s what happens: the medical personnel get
inside the cubicle. The potential patient stands outside the cubicle. The medical person puts the
arms into the extended long gloves, reaching out towards the patient and attempts to administer
whatever particular test is deemed necessary. What I don’t understand, and we’re not shown, is
how the used testing swabs or samples are taken inside the cubicle for holding and, I presume,
later analysis. Does the patient walk round to the back of the cubicle and hand the items over, or
does another person collect the used items from the potential patient and places them inside the
cubicle?