PM: Time to bring our citizens home

More TT nationals will be allowed to come home, as Government moves to increase the number of exemptions for citizens to return from countries where they have been confined for many months.

On March 22, with the onset of the covid19 pandemic, TT closed its borders to non-nationals and nationals, but implemented an exemption policy for citizens stranded overseas and wanted to come home.

The Prime Minister, during a media conference at the Diplomatic Centre, St Ann's on Saturday, said he will discuss with National Security Minister Stuart Young measures to increase the exemptions.

“Given where we are at now, and with the use of home quarantine, our case to keep people outside has been reduced and we will grant exemptions in a more liberal way and persons will come home and when they arrive, (the) CMO will manage that,” Dr Rowley said.

He added that the primary concern will be getting nationals back home although there will be an issue of getting them into the country. "Transportation is another story, because borders are closed," he said.

Rowley said now that mandatory quarantine was no longer necessary as covid19 patients were now allowed to home quarantine in mild cases, the issue of what will happen to the returning nationals will have to be addressed on a case by case basis, as not all may need hospitalisation.

Health Minister Terrence Deyalsingh said the reason for home quarantine was to ensure that the parallel health facilities were no more than 75 per cent filled at any one time. He said Caura Hospital was at 63 per cent capacity and after a decision, last Wednesday, to have patients with none to mild symptoms to quarantine at home, the facility was now at 13 per cent. Similarly, the Couva Hospital had 63 per cent capacity which was reduced to 30 per cent. The Augustus Long hospital in Pointe-a-Pierre was 14 per cent while Arima Hospital which was 40 per cent filled is now down to 30 per cent. Overall, he said, there was a 24 per cent occupancy at the hospital which catered for moderate to severe cases.

“Looking at the socio-economic factors in Trinidad, anyone who is unable to home quarantine we are offering the state facilities. Tobago will maintain state supervised quarantine because of their geography and population.”

Chief Medical Officer Dr Roshan Parasram said there were 894 active cases, at the time of the media conference, with 664 discharged to home quarantine. While not giving exact figures, he said of those still in the health care system, 76 per cent were hospitalised. Of this number, six people are in ICU and 10 in the high dependency unit.

“Before August 21 going forward, the epidemiological curve shows that the highest figure of persons tested positive in one day was 72, which was recorded between August 16 or 17.”

He said there was a small decrease to 53 then 35 in the following days and hoped it continues downward. A small decrease between August 17 to 22 was detected with results pending for tests done between August 22 to 28, which will give health officials a clearer picture of the curve being flattened again.

In its 6 pm, update the Health Ministry said there were 962 active cases, and the number of people discharged remained at 664 with 19 deaths.

Rowley said based on all that had happened regarding decreasing the numbers and the enforcement of mask-wearing laws, the time had come to bring citizens home.

“After eight months, we really need to close this chapter in a more meaningful way. Even when we grant exemptions, there will be issues on how they get here,” he said hinting that the Government may assist through Caribbean Airlines, as it did to fly students in and out of the country.

In April, one month after the border closure, Young said there were some 330,000 nationals outside of TT. In July, Rowley said some 10,000 had applied to be brought home.