CMO: People getting complacent with stay-at-home regulations

SIX OR SEVEN days without a confirmed positive covid19 case may have made some people complacent about the spread of the disease, Chief Medical Officer Dr Roshan Parasram said Thursday. “I think it’s way too early to have that sort of behaviour occurring so we need to tighten up and go into a more rigid (position). I know it is difficult for everyone but we have to stay the course. Hold our positions as long as possible,” he said at the daily covid19 media briefing. Without having physical data on mobility, Parasram said he believed the majority of the population, even when out and about, were adhering to social distancing. However, there was a small group of people not complying and health officials would have drafted a regulation a few days ago to tighten the way the population moves.

He noted in other countries, namely Singapore, South Korea and Japan, when they reduced their regulations, saw a second wave of the virus very quickly thereafter. “It is really something we have to keep a close eye but we are asking people to adhere to the regulations and stay at home with or without regulations because it is important to protect us, our families and society as a whole.”

Health Minister Terrence Deyalsingh added that, from the very beginning, the government’s “clear objective” was saving lives. “All we are asking people to do to save your life is just stay home. We always say you can’t legislate for everything but common sense and your own sense of survival post-covid should lead the vast majority of citizens to put some value on their own lives and the lives of their children and parents, and grandparents and all we are asking people to do is stay home. It’s as simple as that.”

Some activists, including former attorney general under the UNC-led People’s Partnership coalition, Anand Ramlogan, have claimed that recent police roadblocks, intent on limiting the number of people outside their homes, were infringing on people’s right to free movement.

In response, the Attorney General’s office said the State’s position was that citizens enjoy freedom of movement and the police have mere powers of suasion. There is no legal restriction on public movement outside the covid19 regulations but police can persuade people to return home but not arrest them for not doing so. Asked if the government was considering formal legislation to keep people at home, Deyalsingh neither confirmed nor denied that was the case. Instead, the minister outlined the process for doing that.

“(National Security) Minister (Stuart) Young and myself pay attention to these things on an hourly basis. If there is a need to bring about a further regulation the same process applies. We confer, get the policy position signed off by the Prime Minister then bring in the Attorney General for legal advice and he drafts the regulation. Cabinet signs off on it and a Cabinet minute is generated. So, if further regulation is needed I am giving you the process and Minister Young and myself, in conjunction with the PM and AG, will make those decisions.”