CMO: Health masks in short supply

SHOULD the Wuhan coronavirus reach TT, citizens could face a shortage of protective face masks, Chief Medical Officer Dr Roshan Parasram has said.

He was addressing a University of the West Indies (UWI) forum in Jamaica on Thursday on Demystifying the Coronavirus.

Parasram said TT has a “fair amount” of masks, but suppliers in the US are saying that owing to global demand elsewhere, they cannot now supply more masks to TT despite orders having been placed months ago. He said TT is being told to look elsewhere for masks.

So far TT has 25,000 masks but wants to ensure a supply for all health workers, Parasram added.

Otherwise he said drills are due to be held on Friday at two hospitals in Trinidad and the Port of Port of Spain. Some 18 scanners are being used to check the health of inbound passengers to TT, he added.

Parasaram said the Caribbean is at low risk of importing the coronavirus. However, he added that in places with an outbreak, the virus is very hard to detect and control.

Parasram said the virus is spread from person to person by individuals who may not show any symptoms of sickness.

“The spread occurs in the incubation period, an asymptomatic spread. It is very difficult to control. It is very difficult to treat.”

He said British Airways and Condor Airlines had recently curbed the entry of Chinese nationals into TT as a precaution.

Parasram said most visitors to TT Carnival are from North America and right now the current precautions against a viral influx are sufficient.

CARPHA head Dr Joy St John urged trade be kept open with China and likewise tourist travel from North America. She urged citizens to wash their hands often, including after using the toilet, so as to reduce any faecal-oral spread, to curb the viral spread.

Virus expert Prof Christine Carrington of UWI, St Augustine, said the coronavirus likely originated in bats, as had the closely-related SARS and MERS outbreaks. She was unsure if it had gone straight to humans or by way of animals in the Wuhan live market.

Immunologist Prof Clive Landis said the region had already endured outbreaks of H1N1, Chik V and Zika, before the coronavirus.

“We’ll get over this. We’ve been here before.”

Lamenting "an outbreak of misinformation," he said UWI can always be trusted to provide accurate information.

Asked if vitamins can help against infection, he said while in general a deficiency can leave you weak and vulnerable, there is no evidence you can ward off infectious diseases by loading up on vitamins. Conversely he said if one is stressed out over trying to eat such nutrients, that in itself can weaken your immune system.

“I ask you to be of good spirit, mind and body, and that will ward off illnesses of all kinds, just by having a healthy immune system.”