Central and South Eleuthera MP Hank Johnson was released from hospital Thursday night and is in “self-quarantine” after testing positive for the coronavirus.
Johnson was airlifted to New Providence after he says he experienced issues with his blood pressure. On Thursday, the FNM MP announced he had tested positive for COVID-19. However, his wife and children were not infected with the virus.
While announcing that he is out of hospital, Johnson seemed uncertain of how long he is supposed to remain in quarantine.
“I’ve been released. I’m going into self-quarantine for five or six days, maybe seven to ten days, whatever is necessary,” Johnson said in a voice note.
It is frightening that Johnson, who is still infected, does not know how long he should remain in quarantine before he is allowed to be around others.
It is also alarming that Johnson is going into self-quarantine as opposed to mandatory quarantine.
Persons who recently traveled to a COVID-19 hot spot or were exposed to someone who tested positive enter self-quarantine for 14 days, which is the amount of time between infection and the appearance of symptoms.
However, persons who have tested positive are required to enter mandatory quarantine. Is Johnson only required to enter self-quarantine because of his position?
Will he be monitored by HubbCat to ensure he remains isolated for the required period or will he be allowed to roam freely after “five or six, maybe seven days” without consequences like Education Minister Jeff Lloyd who was spotted in Super Value shopping for groceries with essential workers during his self-quarantine period?
What message does this send to the average Bahamian?
“I have not had any symptoms so far. None. So as a precaution I am going to be isolated for a few days. I am going into quarantine,” said Johnson.
As of Friday, 1,703 people have tested positive for COVID-19. Five people with COVID-19 died today but one of them has been classified as a non-COVID-related death. The total number of deaths is 27.
They include a woman in New Providence, a 71-year old woman from New Providence, a 54 year old woman from Abaco and a 45 year old man from Eleuthera.
77 people are hospitalized with the virus.