COVID-19 in Trinidad & Tobago (Local Updates & Discussions Only)

[Duane 3NE 2NR]

Thanks - Didn't see it posted on the Ministry's FB page

[sMASH]

For all who are suggesting to just let the virus run through the population to achieve herd immunity.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/covid-19-spread-herd-immunity-unethical-who-chief-says/

Bull crap.

In THIS case it's a corona virus. It spreads mostly like other corona viruses.


The vulnerable are to take the most precaution out of everyone. Mostly quarantined.
And WHEN enough of the population develops the antibodies did it, that the virus rarely meet someone who didn't have it, then ur immunity is achieved.


Medically u may not be able to approve it, and thars y no one will remember ur name.

As a country and a person with expenses, 8 have an economy to sort out too.

[redmanjp]

But how many countries were able to do that without a significant death toll?

[paid_influencer]

MoH talking about dealing with 'long covid' now.

https://www.looptt.com/content/long-cov ... ed-respond

‘Long COVID’ seen in 87% of patients, Ministry prepared to respond

Long COVID could affect most patients of COVID-19 for some time after they’ve gotten over the virus. This is the perspective of local health officials who are beginning to understand the long-term effects of the novel coronavirus.

Symptoms of Long COVID are heart inflammation, an irregular heartbeat, abnormal lung function which can affect oxygen capacity, vertigo, strokes and seizures and mood swings. Regular symptoms of COVID-19 like loss of taste and smell, fatigue and shortness of breath can also persist.

According to Dr Sana Mohammed, Pulmonologist and COVID-19 Consultant, a high number of patients have expressed the persistence of these symptoms.

“More than 87 per cent of patients experienced at least persistence of one symptom. Fatigue and shortness of breath are the most common symptoms experienced where more than 50 per cent of patients reported ongoing fatigue,” she said.

“The Executive Wellness Centre at the Arima General Hospital within the North Central Regional Health Authority has been conceptualised to help manage our patients who may experience Long COVID or health consequences following COVID-19 infection,” she said.

While it’s still in its early stages, the Wellness Centre clinic has already begun accepting patients.

More mature COVID-19 patients can be more severely affected by Long COVID but all patients are equally susceptible. Doctors are still trying to figure out what exactly causes Long COVID.

“It might be due to invasion of the tissues from the virus itself. It might be due to profound inflammation or it might be due to the body’s immune response in the body following infection with COVID-19 or it might be any combination of these factors,” she added.

[bluefete]

Note well: From Harvard Business Week - Interview with Merck's CEO - July 2020.

https://hbswk.hbs.edu/item/merck-ceo-ke ... r2Ubf8cinw

EXCERPT:

Frazier: Let me start by saying, I think when people tell the public that there's going to be a vaccine by the end of 2020, for example, I think they do a grave disservice to the public. I think at the end of the day, we don't want to rush the vaccine before we've done rigorous science. We've seen in the past, for example, with the swine flu, that that vaccine did more harm than good. We don't have a great history of introducing vaccines quickly in the middle of a pandemic. We want to keep that in mind.

The second point that I think is very important is I think when we do tell people that a vaccine's coming right away, we allow politicians to actually tell the public not to do the things that the public needs to do like wear the damn masks. Okay? We were so unprepared for this pandemic. It's not even funny on so many levels.

I learned about it in mid-January or so, but fortunately our researchers who engage in disease surveillance knew about it before that. So it was known to the scientists before, but generally speaking, we've done a bad job in being prepared from the disease surveillance, to having the kind of protective equipment that we need to have. To having the kind of testing and tracing that we need to have.

To scale up of our critical care centers that were overwhelmed immediately. And right now, it's critical for people to understand that while we hope to have a vaccine post-HSCT, that they are the protection against the spread of this virus right now by good hygiene, using your mask, social distancing, etc.

[Duane 3NE 2NR]

Johnson & Johnson pauses Covid-19 vaccine trial after 'unexplained illness'

(CNN) Drugmaker Johnson & Johnson said Monday it has paused the advanced clinical trial of its experimental coronavirus vaccine because of an unexplained illness in one of the volunteers.

"Following our guidelines, the participant's illness is being reviewed and evaluated by the ENSEMBLE independent Data Safety Monitoring Board (DSMB) as well as our internal clinical and safety physicians," the company said in a statement. ENSEMBLE is the name of the study.

"Adverse events -- illnesses, accidents, etc. -- even those that are serious, are an expected part of any clinical study, especially large studies."

Johnson's Phase 3 trial started in September. It's one of six coronavirus vaccines being tested in the US, and one of four in the most advanced, Phase 3 stage. It requires just one dose of vaccine, so federal officials have said they hope testing may be competed a bit faster than other vaccines, including those being made by Moderna and Pfizer, which require two doses.

https://edition.cnn.com/2020/10/12/heal ... index.html

[sMASH]

But how many countries were able to do that without a significant death toll?

none, cause only one country attempted something like it, and that was sweden. and u cant say they had a low death toll, cause they missed the ball in the initial stages. they rectified it and on a better trend now than most others.
u have a case study of 1. where as, the other countries that tried their best, accounted for the rest of the death rate.

only countries that can afford total lock down can sit and wait for a vaccine. the other cant wait, not even the great USofA.

[Duane 3NE 2NR]

only countries that can afford total lock down can sit and wait for a vaccine. the other cant wait, not even the great USofA.

That has a lot to do with capitalism and lack of socialism
The USA may be rich but there are wealthy corporations who want to stay wealthy despite people dying and so they insist medical bills, funding, rent, mortgage, loan payments and corporate bailouts must continue.

[sMASH]

that has a lot to do with how much cash u have in ur treasury to dole out to citizens to pay for their food, rent, utilities, medicine....

[redmanjp]

no need for a total lockdown once we have universal wearing of masks- only areas where that is not practical like bars, restaurants etc which is precisely the places that are restricted. imo cinemas could open but ban eating and drinking so everyone would wear masks.

[redmanjp]

if bars/restaurants want to open they need to compensate for lack of mask wearing- 6 feet apart is not enough for airborne transmission. perhaps have a register for all customers, limit of 15 mins per customer- 1 beer- take d rest to go.


https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2020/08/18/902328016/how-bars-are-fueling-covid-19-outbreaks

[MaxPower]

Trinis will not listen to anything, its a lost battle.

Just open up everything and once you wear your mask, wash hands and keep distance you will be ok.

Who want to play the ass, let them.

The Venezuelans are eager and ready to work...let’s get the ball rolling.

[redmanjp]

Trinis will not listen to anything, its a lost battle.

Just open up everything and once you wear your mask, wash hands and keep distance you will be ok.

Who want to play the ass, let them.

The Venezuelans are eager and ready to work...let’s get the ball rolling.

max u cud drink and wear a mask?

[MaxPower]

Trinis will not listen to anything, its a lost battle.

Just open up everything and once you wear your mask, wash hands and keep distance you will be ok.

Who want to play the ass, let them.

The Venezuelans are eager and ready to work...let’s get the ball rolling.

max u cud drink and wear a mask?

Hello redmanjp,

Hope all is well with you my top man.

Yes, i can go to a bar, remove my mask, cough and sneeze, take a sip and put my mask back on. And wait until i get intoxicated to start forgetting and break all the rules.

Will i really do that? Definitely not.

Only if the establishment adheres to meticulously strict measures i.e - temperature scan, wash basins, sanitizers, social distance markers, customer monitoring OR every patron is given a bracelet which beeps when someone is too close....only then i may consider, but honestly i will simply stay home and stay safe.

All we need to fight Covid is discipline and responsibility.....that is it.

Only the negligent should get infected and die, and i hope they do. Covid needs to clean up those that endanger the lives of others.

[redmanjp]

without masks and especially with the loud shouting that happens when the alcohol goes to the head covid will become aerosolized and spread beyond 6 feet indoors- CDC confirmed this. these places are high risk.

[MaxPower]

without masks and especially with the loud shouting that happens when the alcohol goes to the head covid will become aerosolized and spread beyond 6 feet indoors- CDC confirmed this. these places are high risk.

Hmmmm

What do you suggest?

[redmanjp]

without masks and especially with the loud shouting that happens when the alcohol goes to the head covid will become aerosolized and spread beyond 6 feet indoors- CDC confirmed this. these places are high risk.

Hmmmm

What do you suggest?

outdoor and open air bars only in addition to social distancing, registering name & phone # for all patrons for contact tracing and 15 mins max for each customer

[redmanjp]

2nd page from MOH website but is a PDF: http://www.health.gov.tt/covid19/MediaReleases/COVID-19Updateinfo.pdf

allyuh see the link is not date specific- which means everyday the 2nd & 3rd page will disappear (only the 1st is available on their FB page for previous days)- so u can't compare the previous days data. and they also not giving you the new deaths daily- or those in ICU on that first page.

[FrankChag]

So... yea...

A man caught coronavirus twice—and it was worse the second time
That makes him the fifth recorded person to have caught the coronavirus twice—and raises more questions about how immunity might work.

Oct 13, 2020

src MIT Tech.Review https://www.technologyreview.com/2020/1 ... cond-time/

The news: A man in the US caught covid-19 for a second time in the space of just two months, according to a study published in The Lancet Infectious Diseases. That makes him the fifth person to have officially caught the coronavirus twice, after cases recorded in Hong Kong, Belgium, Ecuador, and the Netherlands (and there will certainly be more cases we don't know about). However, what’s strange about his case is that he had had a worse bout of illness the second time. His doctors compared the genome of the virus during the two illnesses and found they were too different to have been caused by the same infection. There’s only one other recorded instance where this has happened—the case in Ecuador.

The details: The 25-year-old man tested positive for the first time on April 18, after experiencing several weeks of symptoms including sore throat, cough, headache, nausea, and diarrhea. He felt fully recovered by April 27, and tested negative for the virus on both May 9 and 26. But just two days later, on May 28, he developed symptoms again, this time with fever and dizziness too. He tested positive on June 5 and needed to be hospitalized after his lungs were unable to get enough oxygen into his body, causing hypoxia and shortness of breath. He had no underlying health conditions. The man has now recovered.

The significance: Being infected once does not mean you’re protected from being infected again, even if such cases are still vanishingly rare, with just five identified out of nearly 40 million confirmed cases worldwide. That means people who have had covid-19 still need to stay vigilant, following the advice on social distancing, wearing face masks, and avoiding crowded, poorly ventilated spaces. This was not altogether unexpected: coronavirus experts warned us that other coronaviruses, such as the common cold, are seasonal. However, there are still many questions that researchers are racing to answer. How much protection does having covid-19 confer? Is that mainly through antibodies or T cells? How long does protection last? What does it mean for the medical treatments that are being developed, or for vaccines? Will we all require a yearly shot rather than a one-off vaccine, for example? If nothing else, this new case is a reminder of how much about this virus we still don’t know.

[j.o.e]

without masks and especially with the loud shouting that happens when the alcohol goes to the head covid will become aerosolized and spread beyond 6 feet indoors- CDC confirmed this. these places are high risk.

Hmmmm

What do you suggest?

outdoor and open air bars only in addition to social distancing, registering name & phone # for all patrons for contact tracing and 15 mins max for each customer

15 mins max per customer now financially feasible for bars and not enforceable

[sMASH]

how many deaths for the flu, do we have for this year so far?

[pugboy]

it should be a lot less than last year since with the various precautions put in place - masks, hand washing, reduced crowding etc

how many deaths for the flu, do we have for this year so far?

[sMASH]

it should be a lot less than last year since with the various precautions put in place - masks, hand washing, reduced crowding etc

how many deaths for the flu, do we have for this year so far?

that sounds like the official answer we might get from the MoH on this matter ... i feel they fireball flu stats since covid.

[pugboy]

those stats likely not very accurate either
doubt the collection of data is very encompassing

[Sundar]

how many deaths for the flu, do we have for this year so far?

there was a release earlier on in the year, and there were lots of deaths due to "Respiratory Ailments" for the beginning of the year.

[zoom rader]

https://www.facebook.com/10002227847237 ... 935014981/

Red goverment is an embarrassment

[Dohplaydat]

https://www.facebook.com/100022278472376/posts/824042935014981/

Red goverment is an embarrassment

We are the only the country in the world that has locked out citizens. Not China, not Russia, not Venezuela not North Korea.....let that sink in.

[maj. tom]

Stuart knows best for everyone. I mean we have had no new cases and everything under control right? /s
Imagine the British Parliament has to plead with this shithole Government to let their own people back into their own homes.

[MaxPower]

Friends,

Can we imagine if we just let in everyone what the consequences would have been? i.e - increased cases and deaths.

Can you imagine the state of the country if the incapacitated UNC had their way?

We have to STOP imagining and dreaming that “proper systems” will work. We just do NOT have the mentality to manage. Trinis are our worst enemy with their blatant ignorance and irresponsibility.

We are barely managing the situation here and surely we are incapable of handling our “stranded” brothers and sisters outside our borders.

I believe Master Keith is waiting for the situation to be stabilized here BEFORE opening the borders. He is fully aware that due to his beloved Trinis, no matter what system he implements, there is a high possibility of another spike in cases.

These Trinis are away from their homes and families for a VERY long time. They are eager and anxious to come home. Can you imagine the celebrations and congregating? The bar hopping, spitting, hugging, kissing and wining?

Let us get this MESS you Trinis escalated under control and then deal with the other MESS that comes when Trinis return.

The PNM is managing this fairly, not perfectly, but fairly well. Let his excellency and his team of medical experts do their job.

Understand the reality.

[maj. tom]

No one was ever saying no to the initial closure. It made sense at the time. It worked too. It's just that there seems to be no plan after that event. While every other country in the world has adapted, Trinidad is stuck. There is no more stabilization. Every 2 months is the same story. They expect the virus to just disappear? And then not get it back when the borders open in the future? So how keeping the borders closed helping now? The government can't put proper travel screening and plans in place like other governments have?

In case you haven't noticed, the horse has left the barn a long time ago wrt to this virus spreading unchecked. Where the jackass who was braying "learn to live with the virus!" ???