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

[De Dragon]

What age groups are the MoH using to describe "middle aged" and "elderly"?

[Habit7]

Why are you quoting voices in your head?

If the over 200K Trinis return and receive 14 day state quarantine which costs $5K...you know what I just stupid, excuse me while I sit in the corner with reason and logic.

Sheitty Bamsee, 200K do not want to return, that figure is the TOTAL T&T citizens presently out of the country Also people granted exemptions who are required to quarantine in a State facility and are required to pay their own way. The only exemptions are JUHN Scarfy and Guy Smiley daughter along with Young Bronto and LFD RFD PNM officials, oh and Delcy

Because you jump in like a Wednesday you don't know the context. DPD wants no exemption process and for everyone to have the ability to return to T&T when they want. There are 330,000 Trinibagonians abroad, that was the total figure. Initially, the state paid for quarantine but now some quarantine is paid by the individual but there is still state quarantine.

However, late, uninformed and vacuous, you doubted the billion dollar tag for this 14 day quarantine if this was put in place for all arrivals if it started in March 2020. I used the conservative figure of 200,000 which any sensible govt would have to allocate for. And even if some go to private quarantine, govt will still have to find staff to chaperone what they are doing and pay for these extra duties. Plus since 14days is no foolproof for covid-19, it would likely spread infection.

So focus on the facts and not insults so that you be less concerned with how "sheitty bamsee" I am, but concerned with the truth.

[K74T]

Key Points From the Ministry of Health’s Virtual Media Conference – Wednesday 19th May 2021

- Technical Director of Epidemiology, Dr. Avery Hinds stated that there has been a very minor slowing of Covid-19 cases and implored the population to do their utmost to keep the trend moving downwards.

- Principal Medical Officer of Institutions, Dr. Maryam Abdool-Richards provided an update on the status of the Parallel Healthcare System and stated that we are currently at 84% occupancy in Trinidad and 29% in Tobago. Dr. Richards indicated that ICU capacity was at 77% in total and HDU is 100% in Trinidad and 95% overall. She provided the following breakdown of the latest occupancy figures:
Caura Hospital – 89%
Couva Facility – 75%
Augustus Long – 94%
Arima General Hospital – 93%
St. Anns Hospital – 100%
Point Fortin Hospital – 75%
UTT Hospital – 52%
Debe Facility – 86%

- Dr. Abdool-Richards stated that currently the rolling average of Covid-19 cases is 478 with an upward trend in hospitalizations. Dr. Richards also indicated that 50% of ambulances are currently in use to transport Covid-19 patients which impacts the availability of this service to the general population.

- Minister of Health, Terrence Deyalsingh, provided an update on T&T’s vaccine rollout and announced that 100,000 doses of the Sinopharm vaccine arrived early this morning. Minister Deyalsingh stated that these doses will begin to be administered as early as this Friday 21st of May.

- Minister Deyalsingh confirmed that priority will continue to be given to Healthcare Workers, persons over the age of 60 and persons under the age of 60 with NCDs.

- The Health Minister announced that vaccinations will be done strictly by appointment, walk-ins will NOT be tolerated at this time. He indicated that this was due to the Sinopharm vaccine being packaged differently to the AstraZeneca resulting in no more flexibility to vaccinate walk-ins with extra doses.

- Minister Deyalsingh also stated that with the Sinopharm vaccine, persons can be fully vaccinated in 3-4 weeks as opposed to the 2-3 month wait with the AstraZeneca vaccine. The Minister added that due to the older, tried and tested technology employed in the creation of the Sinopharm vaccine, its expiry date is April 2023.

[Kickstart]

Why are you quoting voices in your head?

If the over 200K Trinis return and receive 14 day state quarantine which costs $5K...you know what I just stupid, excuse me while I sit in the corner with reason and logic.

Sheitty Bamsee, 200K do not want to return, that figure is the TOTAL T&T citizens presently out of the country Also people granted exemptions who are required to quarantine in a State facility and are required to pay their own way. The only exemptions are JUHN Scarfy and Guy Smiley daughter along with Young Bronto and LFD RFD PNM officials, oh and Delcy

Because you jump in like a Wednesday you don't know the context. DPD wants no exemption process and for everyone to have the ability to return to T&T when they want. There are 330,000 Trinibagonians abroad, that was the total figure. Initially, the state paid for quarantine but now some quarantine is paid by the individual but there is still state quarantine.

However, late, uninformed and vacuous, you doubted the billion dollar tag for this 14 day quarantine if this was put in place for all arrivals if it started in March 2020. I used the conservative figure of 200,000 which any sensible govt would have to allocate for. And even if some go to private quarantine, govt will still have to find staff to chaperone what they are doing and pay for these extra duties. Plus since 14days is no foolproof for covid-19, it would likely spread infection.

So focus on the facts and not insults so that you be less concerned with how "sheitty bamsee" I am, but concerned with the truth.

Rowley daughter coming here and jumping the queue is blatant insult to those that was begging and stuck abroad.

[De Dragon]

Why are you quoting voices in your head?

If the over 200K Trinis return and receive 14 day state quarantine which costs $5K...you know what I just stupid, excuse me while I sit in the corner with reason and logic.

Sheitty Bamsee, 200K do not want to return, that figure is the TOTAL T&T citizens presently out of the country Also people granted exemptions who are required to quarantine in a State facility and are required to pay their own way. The only exemptions are JUHN Scarfy and Guy Smiley daughter along with Young Bronto and LFD RFD PNM officials, oh and Delcy

Because you jump in like a Wednesday you don't know the context. DPD wants no exemption process and for everyone to have the ability to return to T&T when they want. There are 330,000 Trinibagonians abroad, that was the total figure. Initially, the state paid for quarantine but now some quarantine is paid by the individual but there is still state quarantine.

However, late, uninformed and vacuous, you doubted the billion dollar tag for this 14 day quarantine if this was put in place for all arrivals if it started in March 2020. I used the conservative figure of 200,000 which any sensible govt would have to allocate for. And even if some go to private quarantine, govt will still have to find staff to chaperone what they are doing and pay for these extra duties. Plus since 14days is no foolproof for covid-19, it would likely spread infection.

So focus on the facts and not insults so that you be less concerned with how "sheitty bamsee" I am, but concerned with the truth.

Jacky, what he's saying is that the borders aren't secure or closed, else we'd be Covid free according to your evidence absent logic. The hugely unpatrolled and lax immigration efforts at the southern borders in particular make your championing of continued border restrictions inane. First you tried' dey deading like flies in de States!" now that the US has gotten a good hold on their situation, it's "dey deading like flies here?"
Closed borders but P1 brought in by an ILLEGAL migrant?
What it seems you're either dotishly not seeing, or worse, dotishly ignoring, is that our worse of the pandemic is occurring RIGHT NOW with the borders "closed"
Maybe your minor God Impsy could take some of the 3.7B VAT refund money he tried to slip in the HSF Covid theft/mismanagement figures and use that

[Dizzy28]

Are Covid+ patients bedded in the regular health system. The numbers Dr Richards gives speaks only to those facilities in the parallel system however the article with the pineapple farmer who died from Covid and who's parents are hospitalized say they were in San Do General.

How much Covid+ patients are in PoS, SanDo, Mt Hope and Grande Hospitals?

[Habit7]

Nothing you said there is related to the original content.

[Dizzy28]

I am assuming your response is to me. In which case for clarity I am asking wrt the following aspect of the updates -

Principal Medical Officer of Institutions, Dr. Maryam Abdool-Richards provided an update on the status of the Parallel Healthcare System and stated that we are currently at 84% occupancy in Trinidad and 29% in Tobago. Dr. Richards indicated that ICU capacity was at 77% in total and HDU is 100% in Trinidad and 95% overall. She provided the following breakdown of the latest occupancy figures:
Caura Hospital – 89%
Couva Facility – 75%
Augustus Long – 94%
Arima General Hospital – 93%
St. Anns Hospital – 100%
Point Fortin Hospital – 75%
UTT Hospital – 52%
Debe Facility – 86%

I have never heard of any numbers for the regular system. So is it from the moment you are determined + you are moved into the parallel system thereby preventing a reportable number being generated within the regular system?

[Dohplaydat]

Why are you quoting voices in your head?

If the over 200K Trinis return and receive 14 day state quarantine which costs $5K...you know what I just stupid, excuse me while I sit in the corner with reason and logic.

Sheitty Bamsee, 200K do not want to return, that figure is the TOTAL T&T citizens presently out of the country Also people granted exemptions who are required to quarantine in a State facility and are required to pay their own way. The only exemptions are JUHN Scarfy and Guy Smiley daughter along with Young Bronto and LFD RFD PNM officials, oh and Delcy

Because you jump in like a Wednesday you don't know the context. DPD wants no exemption process and for everyone to have the ability to return to T&T when they want. There are 330,000 Trinibagonians abroad, that was the total figure. Initially, the state paid for quarantine but now some quarantine is paid by the individual but there is still state quarantine.

However, late, uninformed and vacuous, you doubted the billion dollar tag for this 14 day quarantine if this was put in place for all arrivals if it started in March 2020. I used the conservative figure of 200,000 which any sensible govt would have to allocate for. And even if some go to private quarantine, govt will still have to find staff to chaperone what they are doing and pay for these extra duties. Plus since 14days is no foolproof for covid-19, it would likely spread infection.

So focus on the facts and not insults so that you be less concerned with how "sheitty bamsee" I am, but concerned with the truth.

The reality is keeping borders closed is NOT working. So many Trinis have gotten their vaccines in the US/UK/Canada for months now. Yet they still can't return.

14-day quarantine is 99% effective bro, maybe even more.

Let's assume the demand to come Trinidad max per week is 5k......do we have enough hotel rooms in here and Tobago to manage that influx?

If no, then cut back on flights. Make a system that never exceeds 80% of the room vacancies in case persons who test positive need to extend their quarantine period.

We own CAL, we could have well taken this opportunity to manage arrivals using CAL. Give other airlines permission for routes that CAL does not do and manage the influx so that arrivals never exceed hotel rooms.

Not rocket science. It's worked well for NZ who has allowed citizens, Aussies and those with residence rights to return.

[adnj]

Why are you quoting voices in your head?

If the over 200K Trinis return and receive 14 day state quarantine which costs $5K...you know what I just stupid, excuse me while I sit in the corner with reason and logic.

Sheitty Bamsee, 200K do not want to return, that figure is the TOTAL T&T citizens presently out of the country Also people granted exemptions who are required to quarantine in a State facility and are required to pay their own way. The only exemptions are JUHN Scarfy and Guy Smiley daughter along with Young Bronto and LFD RFD PNM officials, oh and Delcy

Because you jump in like a Wednesday you don't know the context. DPD wants no exemption process and for everyone to have the ability to return to T&T when they want. There are 330,000 Trinibagonians abroad, that was the total figure. Initially, the state paid for quarantine but now some quarantine is paid by the individual but there is still state quarantine.

However, late, uninformed and vacuous, you doubted the billion dollar tag for this 14 day quarantine if this was put in place for all arrivals if it started in March 2020. I used the conservative figure of 200,000 which any sensible govt would have to allocate for. And even if some go to private quarantine, govt will still have to find staff to chaperone what they are doing and pay for these extra duties. Plus since 14days is no foolproof for covid-19, it would likely spread infection.

So focus on the facts and not insults so that you be less concerned with how "sheitty bamsee" I am, but concerned with the truth.

The reality is keeping borders closed is NOT working. So many Trinis have gotten their vaccines in the US/UK/Canada for months now. Yet they still can't return.

14-day quarantine is 99% effective bro, maybe even more.

Let's assume the demand to come Trinidad max per week is 5k......do we have enough hotel rooms in here and Tobago to manage that influx?

If no, then cut back on flights. Make a system that never exceeds 80% of the room vacancies in case persons who test positive need to extend their quarantine period.

We own CAL, we could have well taken this opportunity to manage arrivals using CAL. Give other airlines permission for routes that CAL does not do and manage the influx so that arrivals never exceed hotel rooms.

Not rocket science. It's worked well for NZ who has allowed citizens, Aussies and those with residence rights to return.

Drug flights and the impact of Covid-19 on illegal trafficking

According to a report by the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), the measures put in place by governments had a homogenous effect on global drug trafficking, with countries reporting shortages at a retail level that led to an increase in price and reduction in purity.

“In New York, the price of methamphetamines tripled”

Organised criminal groups, wrote RUSI associate fellow Martin Verrier, depended on high volumes of global trade to traffic illegal products amongst legal cargo.

With a reduction in global mobility, drug market prices went up exponentially, registering an increase between 100% and 300%. In New York, the price of methamphetamines tripled whilst similar patterns were seen in London for the price of cocaine.

The pandemic also had a different impact on smuggling, depending on how drugs were trafficked before. The supply of synthetic drugs, which were smuggled by air before Covid-19, was disrupted by the halt in global aviation, especially in countries in South-East Asia and Oceania.

Cocaine trafficking was also impacted, especially in Europe, where it’s mostly transported by air.

Another problem illegal organisations faced was delivering the product to the final consumers. According to Verrier – Argentina’s former drug enforcement deputy secretary of state and author of the RUSI report – that’s where the logistic chain broke.

“In a way, it became much easier to smuggle cocaine into the port but much harder to deliver drugs to the final consumers,” he explains. “This can be proved just by looking at the [increase] of cocaine price on the streets.”

Like any other industry, trafficking operations resumed after initially being stalled, with cocaine producers among the first to bounce back.

Verrier explains that the methods used by producing countries to deliver drugs to transhipment countries differ from methods used by countries in the middle of the supply chain.

“In Venezuela and Mexico, we are seeing an increasing use of aeroplanes that can actually fly non-stop to Europe”

“What we are seeing in producing countries and transhipment countries in the Americas is that they’re increasingly using expensive jet aeroplanes,” he says. “[These] can fly almost 1,000kg of cocaine and [that amount] in the streets of [a country such as] the UK is [worth] almost ten times the cost of the aeroplane.”

https://www.airport-technology.com/feat ... afficking/

[DMan7]

Key Points From the Ministry of Health’s Virtual Media Conference – Wednesday 19th May 2021

- Technical Director of Epidemiology, Dr. Avery Hinds stated that there has been a very minor slowing of Covid-19 cases and implored the population to do their utmost to keep the trend moving downwards.

Can someone explain to me the above in bold? How exactly has there been a slowing of Covid-19 cases even if minor? This Monday and Tuesday yesterday were our highest Monday and Tuesday ever by a large margin compared to previous Mondays and Tuesdays for number of new daily cases. What metric is he using to determine this "very minor slowing of Covid-19 cases"?

[Habit7]

The reality is keeping borders closed is NOT working. So many Trinis have gotten their vaccines in the US/UK/Canada for months now. Yet they still can't return.

14-day quarantine is 99% effective bro, maybe even more.

Let's assume the demand to come Trinidad max per week is 5k......do we have enough hotel rooms in here and Tobago to manage that influx?

If no, then cut back on flights. Make a system that never exceeds 80% of the room vacancies in case persons who test positive need to extend their quarantine period.

We own CAL, we could have well taken this opportunity to manage arrivals using CAL. Give other airlines permission for routes that CAL does not do and manage the influx so that arrivals never exceed hotel rooms.

Not rocket science. It's worked well for NZ who has allowed citizens, Aussies and those with residence rights to return.

While there might be those 3 countries where Trinis got their vaccines, there are scores more countries included in the Caribbean where Trinis are and they don't have that luxury either.

Even if I grant you that 14day quarantine is 99% effective, that 1% is all we need for a variant to enter.

Cutting back flights and capping the system is exactly what we have now. A controlled entrance and exit of the border. with quarantine. It is not completely closed as you are making it seem.

Australia and NZ have a similar system and there are similar ppl complaining to get back in
https://www.9news.com.au/national/coron ... bc0d6f3e94
https://www.stuff.co.nz/travel/news/300 ... s-in-india
But they don't have are highly infected countries very close to them to violate their border, like what we have with Venezuela.

[Dohplaydat]

The reality is keeping borders closed is NOT working. So many Trinis have gotten their vaccines in the US/UK/Canada for months now. Yet they still can't return.

14-day quarantine is 99% effective bro, maybe even more.

Let's assume the demand to come Trinidad max per week is 5k......do we have enough hotel rooms in here and Tobago to manage that influx?

If no, then cut back on flights. Make a system that never exceeds 80% of the room vacancies in case persons who test positive need to extend their quarantine period.

We own CAL, we could have well taken this opportunity to manage arrivals using CAL. Give other airlines permission for routes that CAL does not do and manage the influx so that arrivals never exceed hotel rooms.

Not rocket science. It's worked well for NZ who has allowed citizens, Aussies and those with residence rights to return.

While there might be those 3 countries where Trinis got their vaccines, there are scores more countries included in the Caribbean where Trinis are and they don't have that luxury either.

Even if I grant you that 14day quarantine is 99% effective, that 1% is all we need for a variant to enter.

Cutting back flights and capping the system is exactly what we have now. A controlled entrance and exit of the border. with quarantine. It is not completely closed as you are making it seem.

Australia and NZ have a similar system and there are similar ppl complaining to get back in
https://www.9news.com.au/national/coron ... bc0d6f3e94
https://www.stuff.co.nz/travel/news/300 ... s-in-india
But they don't have are highly infected countries very close to them to violate their border, like what we have with Venezuela.

And the worse variant still entered so why keep borders closed?

[De Dragon]

The reality is keeping borders closed is NOT working. So many Trinis have gotten their vaccines in the US/UK/Canada for months now. Yet they still can't return.

14-day quarantine is 99% effective bro, maybe even more.

Let's assume the demand to come Trinidad max per week is 5k......do we have enough hotel rooms in here and Tobago to manage that influx?

If no, then cut back on flights. Make a system that never exceeds 80% of the room vacancies in case persons who test positive need to extend their quarantine period.

We own CAL, we could have well taken this opportunity to manage arrivals using CAL. Give other airlines permission for routes that CAL does not do and manage the influx so that arrivals never exceed hotel rooms.

Not rocket science. It's worked well for NZ who has allowed citizens, Aussies and those with residence rights to return.

While there might be those 3 countries where Trinis got their vaccines, there are scores more countries included in the Caribbean where Trinis are and they don't have that luxury either.

Even if I grant you that 14day quarantine is 99% effective, that 1% is all we need for a variant to enter.

Cutting back flights and capping the system is exactly what we have now. A controlled entrance and exit of the border. with quarantine. It is not completely closed as you are making it seem.

Australia and NZ have a similar system and there are similar ppl complaining to get back in
https://www.9news.com.au/national/coron ... bc0d6f3e94
https://www.stuff.co.nz/travel/news/300 ... s-in-india
But they don't have are highly infected countries very close to them to violate their border, like what we have with Venezuela.

So the LFD RFD PNM solution is to block all?
All other countries have been selectively managing visitors from countries hard hit by Covid e.g right now Indians cannot travel to the US and vice versa. Do you feel quarantine is just chilling out for a 14 days? By day 6 or 7 you're supposed to be seen by a medical doctor to assess your condition.

[VII]

I soo bored..i make friend with a house lizard...lol

I did as well...used to come look for me and walk on my hand etc..have pics somewhere.. not the fat cieling lizards though...the kinda sleek indoor/outdoor greenish/grayish ones..always a good feeling making friends with wild critters no matter how big or small..

My sons do it with tarantulas and snakes all the time..

[MaxPower]

I soo bored..i make friend with a house lizard...lol

I did as well...used to come look for me and walk on my hand etc..have pics somewhere.. not the fat cieling lizards though...the kinda sleek indoor/outdoor greenish/grayish ones..always a good feeling making friends with wild critters no matter how big or small..

My sons do it with tarantulas and snakes all the time..

Keep strong fellas.

Do what you must to keep the sanity.

[aaron17]

I soo bored..i make friend with a house lizard...lol

I did as well...used to come look for me and walk on my hand etc..have pics somewhere.. not the fat cieling lizards though...the kinda sleek indoor/outdoor greenish/grayish ones..always a good feeling making friends with wild critters no matter how big or small..

My sons do it with tarantulas and snakes all the time..

I does lay water on the ground and give em some fruit like paw paw...he livin the big life.

[elec2020]

Key Points From the Ministry of Health’s Virtual Media Conference – Wednesday 19th May 2021

- Technical Director of Epidemiology, Dr. Avery Hinds stated that there has been a very minor slowing of Covid-19 cases and implored the population to do their utmost to keep the trend moving downwards.

Can someone explain to me the above in bold? How exactly has there been a slowing of Covid-19 cases even if minor? This Monday and Tuesday yesterday were our highest Monday and Tuesday ever by a large margin compared to previous Mondays and Tuesdays for number of new daily cases. What metric is he using to determine this "very minor slowing of Covid-19 cases"?

if he did in fact make that statement then it was very premature imo. Or he said that to kinda give support to the new restrictions. Like yh the SOE wukking.

[widdyphuck]

Numbers in..

[K74T]

[ron_28]

FB_IMG_1621455717787.jpeg

Hmmmm....
Hospitals at 409
Was 387 yesterday

[aaron17]

What is a realistic time for a lockdown /or state of emer. to relax?

[timelapse]

They rate people jackarsing the scene, I'd say August
My Mom's second cousin (I think is second )
died from it this morning.Female late 20s to early 30s.I don't know her at all so can't say if she had comorbidities or not.

[jhonnieblue]

Govt wants cases back to 15-20 per day

What is a realistic time for a lockdown /or state of emer. to relax?

[aaron17]

They rate people jackarsing the scene, I'd say August
My Mom's second cousin (I think is second )
died from it this morning.Female late 20s to early 30s.I don't know her at all so can't say if she had comorbidities or not.

Condolences.

[elec2020]

They rate people jackarsing the scene, I'd say August
My Mom's second cousin (I think is second )
died from it this morning.Female late 20s to early 30s.I don't know her at all so can't say if she had comorbidities or not.

i am sorry for your loss.

[elec2020]

Govt wants cases back to 15-20 per day

What is a realistic time for a lockdown /or state of emer. to relax?

with this variant? you would have to lockdown till october/november if so. And idk if that is feasible.

[bluefete]

SoE - Extended to August 15th by Act of PNM parliament.

[aaron17]

Govt wants cases back to 15-20 per day

What is a realistic time for a lockdown /or state of emer. to relax?

with this variant? you would have to lockdown till october/november if so. And idk if that is feasible.

As if the country working on windpie...

[bluefete]

They rate people jackarsing the scene, I'd say August
My Mom's second cousin (I think is second )
died from it this morning.Female late 20s to early 30s.I don't know her at all so can't say if she had comorbidities or not.

Condolences to you and your family.