Trinidad and Tobago extends public health regulations, hints at re-opening borders on May 15
PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad (CMC)— The Trinidad and Tobago Government today (April 25) extended its public health regulations.
This the T&T Government said includes the stay at home policy, to May 10 as it continues its efforts to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley, told a news conference that his administration was also looking at the possibility of opening up the borders on May 15, but that would also be dependent on the recommendations of the local scientific community.
“We need a few more days of holding the fort…most of what we have experienced with this virus coming into our population, the vast majority came from persons who came into us from the outside.
“So…it is imperative that we do not pollute that sampling of our population and the infection of new population cohorts by persons coming into Trinidad and Tobago. So unfortunately we have to keep our borders closed.
“There are serious consequences to that but the greater consequence is to re-infect us and go back to square one where we were two months ago. If we hold the course, we are likely, I can’t promise you anything, I am not seeing anything, I am not influencing it, (but) I am simply saying if the outcome continues on the same trajectory, the curve that we are on now, by the ….15th of May, Trinidad and Tobago should be in a good position to look at a lot of what we have shut down.
“For the first time I can tell you, this tunnel is not an endless journey now, we have a mile post on this journey, meaning a little light is appearing at the far end of the tunnel, so that by the 10th of May, if thing go well we should be in a position to say that we can now relax a lot of what we are now constricted to…but to get a good result by the 10th of May requires we do what we have been doing,” Rowley said.
Health officials said Saturday that the country had recorded 115 positive cases with eight deaths from 1051 samples tested by the Trinidad-based Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA).
Rowley insisted that he has no intention of imposing a state of emergency (SOE) and urged citizens to continue to follow the early recommendations outlined by the Government at the start of the pandemic, including wash your hands, wear a mask and practice social distancing.
“So far, so good, some people are prepared to help, some people are prepared to hurt,” he said, criticising those who have also gone to the courts to challenge the measures.
Rowley said that while the authorities here would not be forcing anyone to be tested, he was hoping nonetheless for cooperation among the general population.
