Another Potential Workplace Cluster Is Brewing

Another workplace cluster brewing: The Emergency Operation Centres (EOC) in St. James seem to be on the ball with monitoring a potential COVID-19 outbreak in a Call Centre. 

The Call Centre was ordered closed on Wednesday by a team of Public Health Inspectors based on observations carried out. This follows the confirmation of a cluster of positive cases.  

Scores of employees were on the outside of the Teleperformance Call Centre, Wednesday morning, seemingly, because of an emergency evacuation. 

Even more unsettling is what was communicated by Facility Associate, Howard Penado. 

He said “persons on the outside will not be able to go inside.”

And according to him, this was simply routine screening being carried out, which was delayed because persons refused to answer the relevant questions. 

He added that there was no emergency at the facility, only sanitization being carried out. He also said that once there is sanitization taking place people are not allowed inside.

The question is, could this be resulting from community transmission or is another workplace cluster emerging? 

In April, a workplace cluster at the Alorica Call Centre in Portmore, St Catherine, was responsible for a spike in COVID-19 cases, amounting to over 200.

Information from the Parish Manager of the St. James Health Department Lenox Wallace contradicts. 

“On Wednesday, a team of Public Health Inspectors would have visited the Teleperformance Call Centre and as we were aware of 18 confirmed cases as checked and confirmed by our EOC [Emergency Operation Centres] team…”

Wallace is urging Call Centre Managers in Montego Bay to ensure their employees are adhering to the safety protocols.

Even so, he says the Health Department will continue to monitor the Teleperformance Call Centre closely. 

He says testing of the staff members is ongoing.