#TurksandCaicos, February 16, 2021 – The financial fall out will continue and so will the curfews and restrictions despite there being no evidence that they are actually working for the Turks and Caicos Islands.
“Currently
there are 312 active cases; 193 in Providenciales; 42 in Grand Turk; 44 in
North Caicos; nine in South Caicos; 23 in Middle Caicos and one in Ambergris
Cay. Three-hundred and twelve active
cases is the lowest we have been to since January 22 when we had 356,” said
Edwin Astwood, Minister of Health during an evening press conference on Monday.
While this
figure is lower, it does not mask the fact that the two worst months for
Covid-19 so far in TCI, are January and February 2021; when restrictions were
the most stringent they have been since the country re-opened to tourism on
July 22, 2020.
On December 1,
2020 the Turks and Caicos Islands stood at 750 confirmed positives for the
coronavirus.
On January 1,
2021 it rose by 158 new cases to chart 908 infections overall.
On February 1,
2021 the Turks and Caicos surged to 1,504 cases of Covid-19; which reflects a
596 patient leap.
Two weeks into
February and already there are 370 new infections and the country’s deadliest
day marked on February 12 with three individuals lost to Covid-19 in the span
of 24-hours.
The Minister’s
commentary only highlighted the upward trend of infections for Turks and
Caicos; which was last month described by Dr. Shandey Malcolm, National
Epidemiologist as “catastrophic”.
Dr. Malcolm
characterized the trend as “distressing.”
Still the
restrictions will continue and are particularly hard, this time around on
restaurants, bars, lounges and commercial boaters.
No dine in
service is permitted and no one is permitted to lounge or participate in gaming
activities.
The rules
announced by the Health Minister follow the theory that residents are catching
Covid-19 at parties and social gatherings; supposedly at these lounges and on
boat parties.
Again, there is
little to no evidence provided to support this rationale.
“It’s to try
and reduce the persons socializing together.
That is (why) these measures are taken into place, to try and reduce social
or person to person contact,” explained Minister Astwood.
Turks and
Caicos returns to 8 p.m. business closure and a 9 p.m. curfew as of today,
February 16; this new raft of regulations expire on March 3, 2021.
