Deyalsingh: TT ahead on covid19 response

HEALTH Minister Terrence Deyalsingh says there is still no silver bullet for covid19, but despite this TT remains one of the best places to be even for those who are afraid of the virus.

With approved vaccines expected to be available in TT by March, Deyalsingh said this country has done remarkably well with its covid19 response.

"Our (TT’s) case numbers are low. The seven-day rolling average is high 10s to early 20s and has been like that for now about two to three months," Deyalsingh said.

He spoke at a media conference at the San Fernando Teaching Hospital on Friday, New Year’s Day.

"The global average of the case fatality ratio is in the region of three per cent. TT’s case fatality ratio is 1.77 per cent. So, we are significantly lower than the global average, which is around three per cent," Deyalsingh said.

The country with the worst ratio is at 29 per cent, Deylasingh said.

The case fatality ratio is the number of deaths divided by the number of confirmed cases.

Although the vaccines are on the horizon, the minister emphasised that people must continue to adhere with public health regulations to prevent the spread of the virus.

TT is pursuing the procurement of vaccines via the Covax facility. The Government has also started bilateral talks with two vaccine manufacturers, AstraZeneca and Pfizer.

Deyalsingh said there was still a lack of evidence to support the safety of vaccines' use. He said the Government has opted to wait for the vaccines by March when more data will be available.

"As the Pfizer vaccine, as the AstraZeneca vaccine, is approved after phase three trials, they will now go into phase four (post-market surveillance), Deyalsingh said.

"Out of that, by March, we will have so much more safety data to decide which vaccine is most appropriate for our population."

He said the Government intends to introduce a safe, effective vaccine and one which the population can trust.

"Trust is going to be important as the government roles out the vaccination plan," he said.

Asked about concerns that the virus is mutating, the minister said it comes as no surprise since viruses mutate.

"That is what viruses do. To prevent that new strain from getting a very strong foothold in any country, or TT, we never completely open the borders. The borders are closed," Deyalsingh said.

"Could you imagine if you had jumbo jets with 300 or 400 people landing in this country every day bringing tourists? What could have been our position?"

He said Government’s position on closed borders saved TT from having mass importation of the covid19 variant from England.

There is also a variant from South Africa, Deyalsingh said, adding it is a "good thing" the borders are closed.

Yet again, Deyalsingh urged people to desist celebrating the holidays in large gatherings.

"The vast majority of TT has been good. It is the minority I am appealing to not to have parties. How successful those appeals have been will start to show from around January 10,", Deylasingh said.

"How we behave the week before Christmas Day will start to show around January 13 or 14. How we behave last night (Thursday), will begin to show between January 15 to 21."

The country can only know how it behaved in two to three weeks.