Deyalsingh: Shutting down TT again not an option

HEALTH Minister Terrence Deyalsingh said shutting down the country again owing to the covid19 pandemic is not an option.

He was speaking at the Health Ministry's virtual press conference on Saturday morning.

He said, "It damages economic activity, loss of jobs. That should not even be in the discussion.

"The discussion has to be personal responsibility, heeding the public health advice and we are all our brother's keeper in this."

He said the healthcare system, at his level, had agreed hospitals treating covid19 patients should not be more than 20 per cent filled.

"Either at the ambulatory level, the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) or the High-Dependency Unit (HDU).

"We have maintained that brilliantly for the past month and a half. We have been between 15 to 18 per cent. So we could treat a lot more cases without shutting down the country. And that should be our goal as a country."