Covid crowds

A third death and ten more people testing positive in 24 hours but did little to disuade crowds of shoppers who failed to keep apart across TT despite Government's appeal to practice social distancing to stem the spread of covid19.

The newest confirmed cases pushed the total to 76 on Saturday, up from 66 the day before, and the country had another fatality.

Even as Health Minister Terrence Deyalsingh warned of a spike in cases starting this weekend, people ignored repeated warnings not to gather and were seen shopping in droves at supermarkets, market places, and pharmacies.

The rush to get supplies comes ahead of a major shutdown of public services and retail stores at midnight on Sunday aimed at keeping people off the streets to stem a potential outbreak of the virus. The heightened stay-at-home initiative, announced by the Prime Minister on Thursday, is expected to begin on March 30 and continue to April 15.

The clampdown, however, does not affect groceries and other food suppliers, as they are considered “essential services” but that did not seem to register with some shoppers.

Speaking at the Chaguanas market, after a tour of several markets on Saturday, Police Commissioner Gary Griffith strongly urged people to be responsible.

“You have your constitutional rights but we’re asking you to limit your rights to ensure that the greater good can be achieved.”

He assured citizens that his officers would operate within the law and not be “high-handed,” or beat or arrest people unnecessarily, however, cautioned, “If regulations have been enacted, we are going to make sure persons adhere to the regulations.”

On Friday, Deyalsingh said the country was at a “tipping point” and could see a drastic increase in cases if the thousands of nationals who recently returned to the country did not self-quarantine.

However, he said, contingencies were put in place with the Augustus Long Hospital in Pointe-a-Pierre being repurposed to provide 50 beds, as well as 90 beds at the Arima Hospital. Along with the 254 beds at Couva and 100 at Caura hospitals, a total of 494 were available to covid19 patients.

A Ministry of Health release on Saturday evening added that the number of samples submitted to the Caribbean Public Health Agency for testing increased by 33 to 500, and the number of people discharged remains one. Two of the positive cases originated in Tobago.

One doctor at the Couva Hospital said although the situation was well in hand at the moment, it could be “disastrous” in terms of medical equipment if cases increased.

While the doctor did not know how many ventilators were distributed throughout the public health sector, the health professional said during a normal flu season the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex, Mt Hope struggled to care for all the patients who needed the machines.

Also, the said medical personnel at Caura used about 50 sets of personal protective equipment (PPE) per day so a lengthy period of this pandemic was not something anyone would want.

The doctor hoped people would stay indoors and take all the precautions against covid19 to prevent any of these negative possibilities from occurring.

Despite the statistics, warnings, and advice from the Prime Minister, Deyalsingh and numerous health professionals, on Saturday Charlotte Street was teeming with shoppers and very few seemed to understand the concept of social distancing. These included shoppers patronising street vendors and stores.

As drugstores, Pennywise, groceries, and other stores tried to enforce social distancing by only allowing a few people at a time inside, the lines to get in were long and, although orderly, people stood very close to each other. Things got worse when it began to rain and people rushed for shelter and crowded doorways and under awnings.

In one instance, when a woman asked another woman to step back she refused saying she was there to see her friend and was not close to her.

Like the pharmacies and supermarkets on Charlotte Street, there was evidence of limiting entry of customers at stores at Long Circular Mall, St James as people formed long queues outside the stores.

The situation was similar at the Chaguanas market. In a Facebook video, people were seen buying and selling, or standing to chat, and even exiting the market close to each other.

At one point, Griffith arrived with a team of officers. Again, people lined the fence of the market near to each other to get a glimpse of the police. Griffith made the rounds of the Port of Spain, Tunapuna and Chaguanas markets as well as supermarkets to ensure people were not congregating in numbers over ten.

It was his first day back on the beat after being in self-quarantine when he returned from London two weeks ago.

In a release, Griffith said he noticed people ignoring the guidelines in the Public Health Ordinance about social distancing. He reminded people to stay at least six feet apart when they go to conduct business in public spaces, and asked businesses to mark the distance on the ground so customers know how far apart to stand.

“The CoP is reminding citizens that the person in front or behind you could be a carrier, so it is important to adhere to the guidelines relating to social distancing as the country battles the covid19 virus.”