Since the spread of the COVID-19 global pandemic, health professionals, government officials, and health organisations worldwide have been imploring people to take precautionary measures to guard against the risks of the deadly virus. People with underlying health conditions, the elderly, and the immunocompromised appear most susceptible.
In the context of nutrition, Jamaicans were already facing an epidemic with obesity and non-communicable diseases pre-COVID-19. People with these diseases are experiencing more severe complications and outcomes after contracting the virus. From another perspective, more than 70 per cent of Jamaicans are already challenged with obtaining basic nourishment for health. Procurement of adequate food for storage and COVID-19 physical-distancing parameters are luxuries most are unlikely to be able to afford. For these reasons alone, nutrition must play a central role in our COVID-19 response strategy.
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