Deyalsingh: No changes in sport despite new covid19 variant

MINISTER of Health Terrence Deyalsingh said the Government will not make “panic” decisions concerning sport after someone in Trinidad and Tobago tested positive for the UK covid19 variant – variant B117.

The Ministry of Health confirmed on Thursday that TT had recorded its first case of the new variant.

The UK covid19 variant can spread 50 per cent more rapidly than previous strains. It has not been proven to be more deadly, although new evidence suggests it may be.

Most sports in TT are currently on pause because of the virus. Only a few sports have been allowed to go ahead over the last few months, including tennis and golf. Team sports and contact sports are not allowed.

However, permission has been given to national teams and athletes to train, including those preparing for the Olympic Games, scheduled to begin in July.

On Friday, at a virtual covid19 media conference, Deyalsingh said the Government will not rush to make decisions about sports.

"We will continue to monitor and right now...we are not recommending any changes so I hope I have made that abundantly clear – no changes are recommended at this point in time. I have said that a couple times for the morning, (that) we are avoiding knee-jerk panic reactions.

"Any decision we make will be well thought out in the public interest moving forward."