Dr Hinds: No extra measures needed to combat covid19 delta variant

Epidemiologist Dr Avery Hinds says existing protocols and measures should be enough to protect the public from infection by any coronavirus variant, noting that regardless of the category, the virus still relies on spreading via droplets.

Responding to Newsday's question during the Ministry of Health covid19 media conference on Monday, Hinds said once the public health regulations were observed, there would be a reduced risk of infection.

During a media conference at the Diplomatic Centre, St Ann's, on Saturday, the Prime Minister announced that TT's borders will be reopened, but visitors and returning nationals will only be allowed entry once they are fully vaccinated with World Health Organization (WHO)-approved vaccines.

In reference to this, Hinds said allowing only vaccinated travellers to enter would be essential in avoiding the risk of spreading infection.

"The first layer of protection is the fact that individuals wishing to travel would have to have both, at this point, negative PCR and evidence of vaccination, so that in and of itself reduces the possibility that someone is coming in with the virus.

"The other things that remains in place, especially within the parallel healthcare system, are all of the infection prevention and control measures that are implemented to reduce transmission – use of PPE, or the other precautions that currently apply – because irrespective of what variant is circulating, the manner in which it is transmitted is the same, and that is, via droplets or aerosols. And therefore the pre-existing strategies hold."

Hinds said to date there has been no evidence of the delta variant and noted that monitoring was being done for the introduction of any variants.

The delta variant is a highly transmissible strain of the virus that emerged in India last December and is now found in many countries, becoming dominant in some.

Hinds urged the public to continue practising regular hand hygiene, wearing masks and avoiding contact with people who are unwell to lower their chances of infection.