Psychiatrist: Reality check as covid19 deaths increase

PSYCHIATRIST Dr Varma Deyalsingh said the number of covid19 deaths in TT hitting 27 should be a reality check for those who do not comply with health recommendations and regulations.

In the Health Ministry’s Tuesday morning covid19 update it was reported three more people died – an elderly male and two elderly females, all three with co-morbidities (other diseases or conditions present) – taking the figure from 22 to 25. Then in the 6pm update it was reported two more people had died – an adult female and an elderly male both with co-morbidities – which brought the total number of deaths to 27.

With 19 deaths in this second wave, it is more than double the eight deaths in the first wave.

Deyalsingh, who is also an independent senator, said there were some disciplined people who were sticking to the health protocols and accepted a greater degree of personal responsibility as well as responsibility for their children and elderly relatives.

"So for those persons (the deaths) would not make much of a difference. They’re already on board.

He said where these new deaths could have a "dent" would be with those individuals who think the illness is far removed from them and hardly anyone was dying from covid19.

"So these new figures will actually give a few individuals a reality check to know 'hey, it is amongst us.' The person next to us may look totally normal but they may be a carrier of this virus. So the news of more deaths could really be a message to those individuals who are just nonchalant about this whole thing."

He said the "fear factor," once it does not go "out of hand" can be something good as it would make people more cautious.

"If for example it comes to a level of paranoia where people are at home and cannot sleep and have anxiety and depression, and having problems adjusting, then those individuals will need to reach out to us in our mental health clinics. We don't want it to go to the opposite extreme where you so paranoid that people don't even want to come outside."

He stressed there will always be some individuals who feel they are infallible, including young people who think nothing can happen to them. He said the latest figures in the second wave show covid19 is more affecting younger males.

Deyalsingh said the areas where these young males congregate, including bars, Government has made regulations to curtail that congregation.

The Prime Minister in his Independence Day message to the country called on young people to take responsibility for stopping the spread of covid19 in TT and stressed it was not a joke. He also reported the infection rate is growing most rapidly among the younger age groups, 25-35. He called on young people to take responsibility for their "clips, crews and limes" and become protectors for, and of each other.

Deyalsingh suggested, besides Chief Medical Officer Dr Roshan Parasram and the Health Minister making appeals to the population it may be more personal if the relatives of the ones who died could make an appeal also.

"It will show all races, all ages might be affected and it's people's lives amongst us, not just officials giving reports."

He said the relatives could be approached to make these appeals. He added some may still be in mourning, but the relatives of those who died in the beginning of the cases could be targeted.

"They could make an appeal to those people to please obey the guidelines. Wear your masks, wash your hands and so forth."

He also said business places need to be very stringent with the "no mask, no service" policy and added that with recent legislation in which people can be ticketed for not wearing masks in public, people will be forced to obey the law.

"So you have the appeal from relatives, the appeal from Government and now the strong arm of the law for people to do what they really supposed to do."

This country recorded eight covid19 deaths from March 12, when TT recorded its first covid19 case, to April 6, when the last death of the first wave was reported. Then after more than four months there were two deaths in mid-August.

Of the 14 people who died of covid19 in August, 11 were male (78.5 per cent), half of them were elderly, and all but two had pre-existing medical conditions or co-morbidities.

The following are the reported deaths for last month:

August 14, adult male with pre-existing medical conditions and an elderly female with pre-existing medical conditions;

August 16, adult male with pre-existing medical conditions;

August 17, adult male with pre-existing medical conditions;

August 22, adult male; August 23, adult male with co-morbidities;

August 24, elderly male with pre-existing medical conditions;

August 28, three elderly males with co-morbidities and an adult female;

August 30, two elderly males with co-morbidities;

and August 31, elderly female with co-morbidities.

For August, the number of samples which tested positive mushroomed from 169 to 1,759.

On Sunday August 23 the total number of covid19 cases crossed 1,000. As at Tuesday evening, the number of active cases stood at 1,085.

Newsday contacted Health Minister Terrence Deyalsingh but he said he could not speak and referred Newsday to the Health Ministry’s manager of corporate communications Candice Alcantara.