Negril, Jamaica–It has been 10 months since the CORONAVIRUS hit our shores. Dr. Sonja King-Foster of Omega Medical Group of Companies notes that people are starting to adjust to the three basic steps to protecting their health. “First, Wear a facemask covering your nose and mouth whenever you are outside your home; then, Keep your distance of at least 6’ from all others when you are in public or in a gathering; and finally, Wash your hands frequently when you come in contact with others, with packages, or with food and objects in the public space. This behavior helps protect you and others like family, co-workers and travelers,” the Doctor explains during a lecture to hotel workers in Jamaica.
Dr. King-Foster is coaching for the next level of change to help prepare workers in the traveler and tourism industry. With the new vaccine becoming available in 2021, “We want people visiting the Caribbean to continue to feel safe, and we want our residents to know how to remain safe and healthy,” explains Dr. King-Foster. She conveys great optimism for a new vaccine and warns that we will continue to create safe distancing, wear masks, and wash our hands frequently, after the vaccine is delivered. Dr. King-Foster commits that “These new behaviors will be with us for a while, so let us be respectful and supportive of one another as we walk, wash and wear.”
Omega Medical has seen that travelers expect, and hoteliers are delivering everything in accommodations, entertainment, dining at a single location. This change in business operations for the all-inclusive hotel specifically has created new demand on the physicians and nurses that provide services for the hotels. The medical specialist has become more than a caregiver, they have become a health and wellness coach.
During lectures, the doctors take the opportunity to answer questions and coach hotel staff working on the front line. The doctors understand that we are all on the front line during this time and must be resourceful and diligent. They train staff in up-to-date COVID-19 protocols that include how to prepare
the hotels for visitors, how to observe illness, how to help visitors that are worried about the virus, and how to access needed care.
In their lectures, the doctors remind staff and visitors that other illnesses or injuries cannot be ignored at this time. Medical staff are on hand at a dozen open resorts to triage visitors that may have other health and wellness issues. They provide online services through Telemedicine, then work with hotel management to institute unique support for the health of their staff. “Part of staying healthy,” expresses Dr. King-Foster, “requires that you do not ignore health issues out of fear for the virus. We have to find ways to keep everyone healthy during these times and that includes workers, visitors and businesses.”
OMEGA MEDICAL GROUP OF COMPANIES The doctors and nursing staff at Omega Medical Group of Companies are a part of the Caribbean’s recovery solution to get hotels open safely, get businesses moving again, and to welcome travelers into a healthy environment. So, they are attending to the things that are needed most at this moment. This includes
§ Training on Covid19 protocols
§ Health and Wellness coaching
§ Medical care services onsite at resorts
§ Medical care services within the community
§ Access to doctors and nurses
§ Access to healthy nanny services
§ Access to private ambulance services