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

[mitch1980]

with regards to testing the 900+ tests carried out are these single test on suspected cases or re-tests on suspected cases as well?

[ST Auto]

Didn't see an official update from MOH.

Was there a 10pm update last night?

[ST Auto]

CMO stated re-test on suspected cases included

with regards to testing the 900+ tests carried out are these single test on suspected cases or re-tests on suspected cases as well?

[ST Auto]

Republic bank high street San Fernando

[hydroep]

STILL SHUT OUT
Maria Bradshaw mariabradshaw@nationnews.com

Trinidad and Tobago has again refused to take its 33 nationals who are stranded here.

They were to have boarded a Condor flight which left yesterday evening for Tobago but the government denied their request to land.

A disappointed Philip Ramdial, spokesperson for the group told the Weekend Nation that instead, the government had finally sent testing kits here with the condition that they be tested before being allowed to set foot on home soil.

“We all broke down in tears when we got that news,” an angry Ramdial said.

He was speaking via telephone from the St Peter hotel where they have been in quarantine for two weeks.

Last Sunday, Minister of Health Jeffrey Bostic announced that the group had been cleared of any symptoms of the coronavirus.

Ramdial said: “It is most vindictive, our government attitude towards us. Since yesterday they were told that Condor was coming to Barbados and continuing to Tobago to pick up the German nationals and they (Condor) had agreed in Barbados to take us to Tobago. You know our Minister of Foreign Affairs say no? This is the reality . . . I am really [upset] with this attitude.

Broke down in tears

“We are the only nationals in the world who are denied entry into our country.”

He said his countrymen who were mainly people over 65 all broke down in tears.

In relation to the testing kits, he questioned why they had now been sent two weeks after they were placed in quarantine and days after they had been cleared.

“Our government, as far as I am aware, they sent the test kits here to test people who are negative. This is the condition for us to return home. Barbados don’t have the resources to provide the doctor, the nurse and the results from the lab also.

“And the question is why have that expense of US$2 500 per kit to test people before they can get home although we have quarantined and test virus free. Furthermore, when we get home, I understand we may be quarantined again and that is no problem.”

Ramdial described the mood among the Trinidadians as sombre and anxious adding that they were all running low on cash.

“It is a daily thing now for people to be crying. Two of our senior people are in their 70s and have relatives home in their 90s who are sick. This is our reality – 70 days in quarantine,” he said. Pointing out that they landed in Cape Town, South Africa, and were allowed to depart by the government because they had no symptoms.

Several pleas

They went on to Dubai and then London but were denied entry to Trinidad from there one day after it shut its borders.

Ramdial, 74, who organised the cruise and is travelling with his wife Ann, recalled that he made several pleas to Trinidad officials to let them return.

“They are refusing us but your Attorney General accepted us under humane conditions. Your Prime Minister intervened and negotiated with the hotel for us to stay here and the staff have been excellent. They couldn’t be more receptive and accommodating,” he pointed out.

Trinidad’s National Security Minister Stuart Young on Tuesday said while the group had completed their 14-day quarantine, they were still to be tested before a decision could be made to bring them back.

Speaking at a virtual news conference, he expressed concern that the group may have mingled with others on the island once they were out of quarantine, and re-exposed themselves.

https://trinidadexpress.com/newsextra/still-shut-out/article_b12bbcd6-7a47-11ea-8f70-2f32a6dfbd23.html

[ST Auto]

Media Conference Alert

The Ministry of Health will host a media conference today (April 9th, 2020) at 10:00 a.m. which will provide Trinidad and Tobago with an update on the #COVID19 virus.

#coronavirus

[sMASH]

Y should the private institutions want to get caphra approval, After the MoH invalidated them in the earliest?

Nothing would change now compared to before, wrt everything. Procedure, machinery, reagents.


If MoH so want private testing, contract them to handle it, $2000 per test.


PNM does do the BS and insult everybody, then expect cooperation because fuh de country. They need to humble them selves.

In this time does it matter? If you up to standard soesnir matter? Just let carpha come check their boxes and go home, why the need to frustrate everything. These places must be made out.

Private labs: CARPHA has no power to accredit us

Medical professionals and owners of private health institutions say the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) has no authority to validate labs in Trinidad and Tobago.

The claim comes even as Minister of Health Terrence Deyalsingh announced on Tuesday that private labs were now being considered to assist CARPHA in bolstering the number of COVID-19 tests health authorities will be able to conduct across the country.

Deyalsingh said then, “We are asking all private labs, once you have a PCR machine, to approach CARPHA for validation.”

Deyalsingh’s drive came the day after Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley, in extending the “Stay-at-Home” measures from April 15 to April 30 on Monday, hinted that cases of COVID-19 cases could intensify by the middle of this month.

[pugboy]

looks like lot of old folks who running out of cash in hand and dont use atm's

[nemisis]

Plenty time to study that come elections, why waste time now? The trade off is lives is it not? Being the bigger person at the moment doesnt mean you have to forgive and forget but that beyond some people

Y should the private institutions want to get caphra approval, After the MoH invalidated them in the earliest?

Nothing would change now compared to before, wrt everything. Procedure, machinery, reagents.


If MoH so want private testing, contract them to handle it, $2000 per test.


PNM does do the BS and insult everybody, then expect cooperation because fuh de country. They need to humble them selves.

In this time does it matter? If you up to standard soesnir matter? Just let carpha come check their boxes and go home, why the need to frustrate everything. These places must be made out.

Private labs: CARPHA has no power to accredit us

Medical professionals and owners of private health institutions say the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) has no authority to validate labs in Trinidad and Tobago.

The claim comes even as Minister of Health Terrence Deyalsingh announced on Tuesday that private labs were now being considered to assist CARPHA in bolstering the number of COVID-19 tests health authorities will be able to conduct across the country.

Deyalsingh said then, “We are asking all private labs, once you have a PCR machine, to approach CARPHA for validation.”

Deyalsingh’s drive came the day after Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley, in extending the “Stay-at-Home” measures from April 15 to April 30 on Monday, hinted that cases of COVID-19 cases could intensify by the middle of this month.

[sMASH]

Plenty time to study that come elections, why waste time now? The trade off is lives is it not? Being the bigger person at the moment doesnt mean you have to forgive and forget but that beyond some people

Y should the private institutions want to get caphra approval, After the MoH invalidated them in the earliest?

Nothing would change now compared to before, wrt everything. Procedure, machinery, reagents.


If MoH so want private testing, contract them to handle it, $2000 per test.


PNM does do the BS and insult everybody, then expect cooperation because fuh de country. They need to humble them selves.

In this time does it matter? If you up to standard soesnir matter? Just let carpha come check their boxes and go home, why the need to frustrate everything. These places must be made out.

Private labs: CARPHA has no power to accredit us

Medical professionals and owners of private health institutions say the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) has no authority to validate labs in Trinidad and Tobago.

The claim comes even as Minister of Health Terrence Deyalsingh announced on Tuesday that private labs were now being considered to assist CARPHA in bolstering the number of COVID-19 tests health authorities will be able to conduct across the country.

Deyalsingh said then, “We are asking all private labs, once you have a PCR machine, to approach CARPHA for validation.”

Deyalsingh’s drive came the day after Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley, in extending the “Stay-at-Home” measures from April 15 to April 30 on Monday, hinted that cases of COVID-19 cases could intensify by the middle of this month.

tell that to rowley when he bashing kamla and raising the racial point on the covid platforms. lead by example.

[mitch1980]

CMO stated re-test on suspected cases included

with regards to testing the 900+ tests carried out are these single test on suspected cases or re-tests on suspected cases as well?

thanks

so then the stats being presented maybe actually more skewed from the suspected cases here in Trinidad.

[paid_influencer]

Republic bank high street San FernandoIMG-20200409-WA0039.jpegIMG-20200409-WA0040.jpeg

there is another Republic Bank branch within walking distance to that one. But that branch was closed when the Gov't first announced COVID19 measures in mid-March.

If both branches were open and fully staffed, that crowd (and the month-end crowds) would never have built up.

The govt could have handled the response better, in hindsight

[mitch1980]

Republic bank high street San FernandoIMG-20200409-WA0039.jpegIMG-20200409-WA0040.jpeg

there is another branch within walking distance to that one. But that branch was closed when the Gov't first announced COVID19 measures in mid-March.

If both branches were open and fully staffed, that crowd would never have built up.

I know many seniors prefer their home branch

[paid_influencer]

I many seniors prefer their home branch

banks close branches all across the country. The remaining branches have reduced hours and less staff.

could the govt could not have foreseen that would cause crowds?

[K74T]

109 as of this morning

[Chimera]

It's annoying how much branches have closed. So now the crowds have to go to a very small number of branches. In san juan fcb yesterday there were quite a few people from grande complaining that this is there only option. Not sure if tunapuna closed.

And I wanna go a republic kid for the longest while but san juan have terrible lines...my options are westmall or chaguanas. Everything else nearby closed

Republic bank high street San FernandoIMG-20200409-WA0039.jpegIMG-20200409-WA0040.jpeg

there is another Republic Bank branch within walking distance to that one. But that branch was closed when the Gov't first announced COVID19 measures in mid-March.

If both branches were open and fully staffed, that crowd (and the month-end crowds) would never have built up.

The govt could have handled the response better, in hindsight

[K74T]

MoH: 32 patients are now showing signs of recovery and may be moved out from Couva Hospital this weekend

[K74T]

[Dizzy28]

It's annoying how much branches have closed. So now the crowds have to go to a very small number of branches. In san juan fcb yesterday there were quite a few people from grande complaining that this is there only option. Not sure if tunapuna closed.

And I wanna go a republic kid for the longest while but san juan have terrible lines...my options are westmall or chaguanas. Everything else nearby closed

Republic bank high street San FernandoIMG-20200409-WA0039.jpegIMG-20200409-WA0040.jpeg

there is another Republic Bank branch within walking distance to that one. But that branch was closed when the Gov't first announced COVID19 measures in mid-March.

If both branches were open and fully staffed, that crowd (and the month-end crowds) would never have built up.

The govt could have handled the response better, in hindsight

Tunapuna FCB is closed but Arima is open. I would expect Grande ppl to go Arima unless there is a shiet show already.

[K74T]

MoH: To treat just one patient: 158 caps, 85 masks, 90 N95 masks, 30 face shields, 175 pairs of gloves, 150 shoe covers and 170 gowns.

[jm3]

what has happened to the other 100 confirmed cases, and the persons from the cruise ship etc? are they still sick? why has only 1 person "recovered" so far but 8 deaths. how long is their quarantine to be?

[pugboy]

some were moved to grande

[jm3]

some were moved to grande

so that means they are still sick and quarantined? or they are just quarantined awaiting an all clear?

[carluva]

the state is not sampling every one who has it, it just samples every one wtih flight history and symptoms, and those they contacted. u can meet every other criteria, as long as u dont have flight history, or contact with flight history, u will not be tested.

and the same thign that goin on in the american families that not getting admitted is goin on here. its just being written of as pneumonia or some other respiratory illness.

Ok cool. You're really not getting it so let us try again.

Because this is an "imported" virus, the first line of testing would always be for persons with travel history. If someone showed up with symptoms resembling west nile virus then you would try to confirm recent travel history to africa. That is just basic stuff dude. It's the exact same concept here. This is a foreign disease originating from Wuhan, China. This is not a vector borne disease. It isn't transmitted from a mosquito or tick bite or even polluted water. This is a human to human disease so the origin and exposure history of the human is important.

Every infection in the world can be traced back to Wuhan. It's like a chain link. Our cases can be traced back to Travellers from North America, Europe etc. Those countries would have cases with a recent travel history from China. China's cases would include people with a recent travel history from Wuhan or surrounding areas.

You still going on and on about rejected tests. Like a broken record. Put it this way. You have 4 tests in total and 5 persons presenting with "symptoms".

Patient A has a recent flight history from a country that is highly impacted by Covid and was in close contact with a confirmed positive case.

Patient B is the spouse of patient A.

Patient C is the close neighbour of Patient A and was in close contact with that person recently.

Patient D is a frontline worker(immigration official)

Patient E is a random person complaining of being ill, no travel history and no contact with a confirmed case.

You could see why patients ABCD would be strong candidates for testing and patient E simply will not be. Patient E could literally be infected with anything. Dengue, Chick V or even the flu. There is nothing disease specific about Patient E

I understand what you are saying. So given this logic for testing, are we in a bad place for the numbers of 109 and 8? How are the measures in place (SIQ etc.) working for/against the situation?

I'm not attempting to be difficult or ask a loaded or politically charged question. Rather, I am trying to understand how this relates to the "curve" and "flattening the curve". And, in the case that we're not flattening the curve, what could be done differently?

[Redman]

Serious question, further to carluvas point

Given the timelines- have we seen the expected number of cases ?
From Carnival, the 20,000 fly ins?

I UNDERSTAND the the concept of undiagnosed cases etc.....but am I wrong in thinking that the few cases THUS FAR that have been hospitalized is a good start?

[pugboy]

waiting on all clear, 2weeks after symptoms clear then 2 tests over 2 days

some were moved to grande

so that means they are still sick and quarantined? or they are just quarantined awaiting an all clear?

[shake d livin wake d dead]

Serious question, further to carluvas point

Given the timelines- have we seen the expected number of cases ?
From Carnival, the 20,000 fly ins?

I UNDERSTAND the the concept of undiagnosed cases etc.....but am I wrong in thinking that the few cases THUS FAR that have been hospitalized is a good start?

just look at the number of tests conducted

[redmanjp]

so allyuh clap today at 10 ?

[jm3]

waiting on all clear, 2weeks after symptoms clear then 2 tests over 2 days

some were moved to grande

so that means they are still sick and quarantined? or they are just quarantined awaiting an all clear?

thanks, just also heard the update on the news from the moh.

[KM_2NR]

That clapping thing is such BS , doubt anyone in the health sector cares about it , its just a stupid fad. Give the "essentials" extra pay and two months paid salary when this is all over and proper PPE to being with .