Trinidad and Tobago in covid19 ICU

BLOOMBERG’S ranking of this country as fifth among nine developing nations hardest hit by a recent spike in reported cases of covid19 confirms this country’s fall from grace internationally.

That Trinidad and Tobago has gone from being a shining example of how to cope with the pandemic to being left far behind and on the brink of disaster is evident, not only from the US news outlet’s assessment, but also the numbers reported over the last few days.

Between Tuesday and Wednesday, the occupancy level in the high dependency unit for covid19 patients jumped from 40 to 70 per cent, principal medical officer Dr Maryam Abdool-Richards reported. Hospital occupancy leapt from 48 to 58 per cent in the space of hours. Bed space in Tobago is at 65 per cent.

Where the numbers have gone down, that is little cause for celebration. The occupancy rate at intensive care units fell to 40 per cent, but only because patients are dying faster than new ones can be admitted. Eleven people died in just two days.

According to Bloomberg, TT saw a staggering 701 per cent change after 3,129 new cases were recorded from April to May. By way of comparison, the rate of change in India, the pandemic’s present global epicentre, was 516 per cent.

From one perspective, we are the victim of our own success. Having closed our borders and imposed a lockdown at a crucial moment, we were able to flatten our curve. It is hard to imagine only a few months ago beaches were reopened.

But then the population became complacent because the numbers were under control and a vaccine was on the horizon. The lifting of restrictions, particularly the decision to let the Easter holidays proceed without any significant tightening of measures, contributed to the sense that this situation was not only under control but also over.

If we are the victims of our success, we are also the victims of our mismanagement, international shortages and a lack of unity.

Instead of the Government and Opposition coming together in this moment of crisis, the two sides have been at each other’s throats.

But it is only the Government that is in the driver’s seat when it comes to vaccine procurement. The bungled talks with key private-sector stakeholders were a missed opportunity. To date, reports that a large number of vaccines had been available at short notice earlier this year (the State reportedly lost its chance, assuming it was a bona-fide opportunity) have never been properly addressed.

Years from now, when the history of this crisis is written, we pray that lost opportunity, plus the Prime Minister’s stubborn desire not to “beg” for vaccines, do not turn out to be decisive turning points in this unfolding tragedy.