Chief Sec: State quarantine for covid19 patients caught ‘zessing’

The Tobago House of Assembly (THA) is clamping down on people who breach covid19 home quarantine guidelines.

In making the announcement on Wednesday at the post executive council news conference, Chief Secretary Ancil Dennis said there will be increased patrols by police and other agencies in communities, aimed at monitoring those in home quarantine.

He added people in home quarantine can also expect more frequent visits and telephone calls from health officials “to ensure your own safety and the safety of the 60,000 of us residing on the island.

“So, we will be taking some action to ensure that that situation is discontinued as far as possible and we will be establishing a quarantine facility that will treat with those persons who, for some reason, may find it difficult to remain in home quarantine,” Dennis said at the Calder Hall Administrative Complex.

Dennis said he has received numerous complaints about people breaching home quarantine regulations.

“I have recognised a challenge and I am sure many of us have recognised a challenge. Many reports have come to me and I am sure across the island, many heard these same reports where there are persons on this island, where of the 400-odd persons who are active cases and supposed to be on home quarantine, some of them have not been adhering to the quarantine requirement.”

He continued: “I have heard many stories of active and positive cases finding themselves out in the communities, finding themselves at supermarkets shopping for groceries, finding themselves at villa and zess parties even. And therefore, I do not need to say to you the level of risk that that poses to the general population here in Tobago. Therefore, that must stop immediately.”

Tobago's covid19 cases have been soaring for well over two months with over 500 active cases as of Wednesday.

The contagious Brazil (P1) variant has also been detected in the population.

Dennis said based on the reports, the THA saw it fit to take the necessary action to ensure there is a more stringent and strict approach to the enforcement of the quarantine restrictions.

“Persons who have been affected should do so in accordance with the prescribed guidelines because I am saying if you are found to be in breach of home quarantine, then the relevant and necessary action, according to the law, will be taken and in most cases, you will be placed into state quarantine.”

He said people who are supposed to be in home quarantine cannot continue to “roam the streets and carry on as if they are healthy and free from covid.”

BYisrael: THA too reactive

The THA's stance came almost one month after Progressive Democratic Patriots deputy leader Dr Faith BYisrael warned of the need for more stringent monitoring of asymptomatic patients in home isolation.

At that time, she said health workers were under too much strain to properly monitor patients, who may have been flouting quarantine protocols.

"Additional human resources need to be identified, employees and/or volunteers to provide better monitoring of patients in home isolation. These can be used to answer the hotline number, contact-trace and monitor people in home quarantine and isolation," BYisrael had said.

She had also advised the division to provide each home with one oximeter (a device that measures the blood oxygen level).

On Wednesday, BYisrael told Newsday the THA's plan to crackdown on covid19 patients shows "the reactive nature of the current covid19-response of this PNM-led THA.

"As a public health official who has offered my service to them multiple times, the records would attest to this recommendation being made some time ago. In fact, the decision to move from state isolation to self-isolation is one that should have been built in a robust system to test suspected cases and their contacts swiftly, identify, contact and isolate positive cases within 24-48 hours and monitor the health and compliance of positive cases."

She said this must be coupled with effective communication that provides accurate information to the citizens.

"The current leadership in Tobago has failed to do all of the above."

At the briefing, Dennis also lamented the rise in new covid19 infections in Tobago.

“Over the last few months we have recognised an increase in the number of infections here in Tobago…..In some days we started getting in excess of 50 cases. The last count was 32 cases over the last 24 hours and therefore we have seen an increase in the number of infections here in Tobago.”

He told Tobagonians they must not be comfortable with this situation.

“As a matter of fact, we ought to be very uncomfortable.”

Dennis said Tobago, which accounts for four per cent of the country’s population, is currently carrying ten per cent of the active cases.

“Currently, there are 502 active cases on the island and nationally, there are 5,000 or so active cases. Therefore, that is not a situation for us to be comfortable with at this point in time.”

Dennis said the pandemic is far from over.