ST GEORGE’S, Grenada (CMC)— A senior government official Tuesday expressed concern at the decline in the number of people getting vaccinated for the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic as Grenada recorded a “considerable” decline in the number of positive cases, hospitalisation, deaths and positivity rates linked to the pandemic in recent weeks.

“As the COVID-19 situation improves, there has been a decline over the last three weeks in the number of persons coming forward to receive the first dose of COVID-19 vaccine,” said Hannah Julien-St Paul, the acting Permanent Secretary with responsibility for Hospital Services and Health Services.

Speaking at the weekly post Cabinet press conference, she told reporters, the situation is a “troubling” for the health authorities.

“It leaves us to ask the question, are we getting comfortable with the decline in the positivity rate. The number of new infections has been dropping consistently in the last three weeks. However, one death is one too many.

“We wish to take the opportunity to appeal to all. Let us not lower our guard because the reduced level of positivity and restrictions. Let us all remember that while the numbers are down, the virus is still with our midst.”

She said that the encouraging decline in infections came at a price, “not only a financial burden to our health system, but also one where we have lost a significant number of our elderly citizens”.

She said also that the Ministry of Health had to implement measures to re-assign health services and also putting on hold specialist services in the hospital.

“But these actions had to be taken to obtain the necessary human resource to create additional health care teams to be deployed in communities and provide extended hours of services within the health districts.”

Grenada has recorded more than 5,000 positive cases as well as 182 deaths since mid-August after having recorded only one death since January from the virus. More than 300 patients have been hospitalised as a result of this wave of the virus.

Meanwhile, head of Internal Medicine at the General Hospital, Dr Donald Noel, is reporting that some people who have contracted the virus are now suffering from what he termed “post COVID syndrome.

“I can tell you that as a clinician what we are seeing, there are already people who have a sequelae of COVID-19. The course of the illness is seven to 14 days, and most patients who come through our institution recover and are discharged within seven to 14 days. However, there are some people who develop what you call a post COVID syndrome,” he told the Cabinet weekly news conference.

“Some people have ongoing symptoms while others develop new symptoms,” said Dr Noel, who is also head of the COVID-19 Medical Response Team.

He told reporters that among the symptoms are chronic fatigue or feeling of tiredness, persistent shortness of breath, persistent coughing, no sense of smell or taste, as well as neurological symptoms such as depression and anxiety.

He said that viral infections usually have a sequelae “so it’s always best to protect ourselves and prevent us from getting it in the first place” urging people to comply with the health and safety protocols for COVID-19 pandemic.

Dr Noel said all those infected by COVID-19 can get a sequelae which can persist for weeks and or months after the initial recovery stage and that persons who believes they were infected should seek medical counselling.

“What I want to stress to you, is that there are some of you out there who may have had the mild disease because 80 per cent of the population who were affected by COVID-19 are going to have mild disease, a little body ache, a little headache a little fever and you may recover without medical attention but what about that other 20 per cent who may have moderate and severe disease,” he said.