UWI Debe campus welcomes its first intake

The Debe campus of UWI had its first intake of 70 people on Friday, hours after they returned to TT from Suriname, where they had been stranded because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Shortly after 12, they arrived at the main gates at the M2 Ring Road in a fleet of PTSC buses and appeared to be in good spirits. They were wearing masks, and many were taking videos with their cellphones.

The returnees, who arrived on a charter flight, will be kept under mandatory quarantine for the next 14 days.

Upon arrival, at the facility, they were taken to their rooms and arrangements are being made for them to be tested for the covid19 virus. One of the men told Newsday they were served lunch soon after arriving.

They are the latest nationals allowed to re-enter the country after being stranded overseas.

The Government closed the borders on March 22 because of the pandemic.

The campus is being used as a covid19 parallel health care facility.

A relative of one of the returnees told Newsday by phone that the 70 must abide by the rules of the campus.

She said, "They have to sign a contact to not take pictures or do any video recording. They are not allowed to make video calls."

The woman, who requested anonymity, said relatives are allowed to drop off items between 9 and 10 am.

"The items must be sealed."

The men, she said, "have not yet been tested, but they have been sanitised on arrival. Over the past five to six weeks abroad, they did not show any signs or symptoms of the virus."

She said she had spoken to one of them by phone.

A relative of another returnee said, "We are not sure of the status of the 15 oil and gas workers who joined the rest of them on Thursday for the flight. They were stranded on the rigs offshore."

A release from the South West Regional Health Authority (SWRHA) on Thursday said the campus is a new facility, ideally located and represents one step closer to home "for our patients."

The facility has 94 beds and provides accommodation under the care of warm and friendly healthcare professionals, the release said.

The SWRHA will manage and co-ordinate the facility, in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and other agencies including the Defence Force.