CMO: Vaccination crucial to reopening economy

THE reopening of any sector of the economy during the covid19 pandemic will be determined on the basis of medical and scientific data which public health professionals provide to the Government.

But the decision on when and how different sectors reopen lies solely in the hands of the Prime Minister and the Cabinet.

Chief Medical Officer Dr Roshan Parasram underscored this point during the virtual health news conference on Monday.

He did so while responding to questions from the media about the reopening of cinemas, beaches and places of worship. They remain closed under the public health and state of emergency regulations.

At a news conference at the Diplomatic Centre in St Ann's on August 28, Dr Rowley said the latter could reopen on September 6, once Trinidad and Tobago's covid19 numbers remain stable by that time.

Asked why cinemas have not been reopened since the declaration of the SoE on May 15, even though other businesses have reopened since then, Parasram said the ultimate decision lies with the Cabinet, the PM and Health Minister Terrence Deyalsingh in terms of the decisions for that sector.

" We will continue to make our recommendations for various sectors, based on the technical reasons."

Asked why places of worship may be allowed to reopen but beaches remained closed, Parasram said the reasons were the same for all sectors of the economy.

"We always consider the public health risks. There are many factors to consider when we make a recommendation for one or the other (sector) to be opened."

Responding to previous concerns about places of worship being potential covid19 super-spreaders, Parasram said, "There is a big difference between...I would say last year, 2020, epidemic in Trinidad and this one...and that really is that we have (covid19) vaccines at our disposal.

"Having a vaccinated public...generally speaking...even in churches...plays a significant role in the ways these sectors can open."

He elaborated that anywhere that someone takes off their mask, whether to eat, in terms of in-house dining in a restaurant,or any other space where people are in close contact, poses a considerably higher risk of public spread of an infectious disease from one person to another.

He also warned, "We are seeing considerably higher levels of spread in delta virus..,possibly the hint of aerosolisation playing a significantly greater role.

"So having your mask off, in any environment, will lead to the increased risk of transmission of that particular disease."

In a signed letter dated August 26 to Deyalsingh, cinema stakeholders appealed for Government to fully reopen the sector. The letter was signed by MovieTowne Holdings Ltd chairman Derek Chin, CinemaOne Ltd CEO Ingrid Jahra, Caribbean Cinemas Ltd chairman George Borges and Estate 101 Ltd CEO Debora Cumberbatch

The letter said the sector has been closed "for 112 days in 2021, afterbeing closed for 194 days in 2020, which has placed tremendous stress on both us and our staff many of who are the sole bread winners of their families."

During last year's restrictions, the stakeholders said they prepared their respective businesses to operate in the pandemic and the post-covid period.

They said, "To date, there has been no record of any covid19 infection in a movie theatre anywhere in the world since the covid19 pandemic commenced."

In TT. they said, "Between November 2020 and March 2021, when cinemas were opened with food and drink concessions, the cases of new infections during that period were at the lowest levels for the entire covid19 pandemic in this country."

They added that to date, the sector has already achieved an average voluntary vaccination rate of 75 per cent of its approximately 3,500 members.

With cinemas in countries like the US, China and the United Kingdom now fully reopened without any problems, the cinema sector stakeholders were confident the same can be done in TT, and remain willing to discuss the matter further with Deyalsingh and his team.