#TurksandCaicos, October 22, 2021 – At this point, the Turks and Caicos government will not be altering the public health measures put in place to contain spread of the coronavirus, instead a review for a long term plan is happening said Health Minister Jamell Robinson on Friday October 15 during his National Health update.
“We have made significant progress but we are not out of the woods just yet. Our Positivity rate is at 2.0% down from as high as 3.7% and we only have one person hospitalized in relation to COVID-19 directly. We unfortunately, are still on Level 3 on the CDC travel list which I believe is too high but I’m hopeful that we will be moved to least a level 2 after the next round of country assessments,” said Minister Robinson.
In TCI masks are still mandatory, so is physical distancing; capacity rules; mandatory sanitization upon entry to any facility and a 1 a.m. curfew. When quizzed, the minister explained the reason the Government is not bending when it comes to restrictions.
“My Ministry is in the process of reviewing all protocols to find a long-term balance for the safety of lives and livelihoods. We are fast approaching an 80-85 per cent vaccination rate for the adult segment of the population and are approaching 70 per cent for all persons eligible for the vaccine inclusive of those 12-15 years of age where there is a low uptick.”
The most current Covid-19 health dashboard reveals, 49 active cases detected in Providenciales and Grand Turk only. There have been five recoveries and one person is in hospital due to the coronavirus. Of the 56 PCR tests performed by the National Public Health Laboratory, seven positives were lodged, all of them for Provo.
The booster shot program is also going well said Dr. Nadia Astwood, TCI Chief Medical Officer, with well over 800 people getting a third jab of Pfizer in under two weeks. However, to hit herd immunity of 80 percent however, government informed that it does not plan to activate any vaccine mandates within the country.
“From where I sit as the Minister of Health, we’re already on 75 per cent for the adult population, which is basically the adult working population. The only place, if there were a need to explore would be whether or not we mandate frontline workers, in those places now there is significant uptake already. I don’t envision a scenario where we would need to mandate frontline workers at this point because any of them has voluntarily done it.”
There are mandates already at play in the Turks and Caicos Islands, which is a British Overseas territory.
Tourists to Turks and Caicos have to be fully vaccinated with one of six approved vaccines; the guests must also test negative for Covid19 and have full medical insurance coverage in order to be approved at the TCI Assured portal.
Islanders who are fully vaccinated only need prove their status upon returning home from travel. Others, who are unvaccinated for Covid-19 and are residents of the Turks and Caicos Islands are legally required to quarantine for seven days, test on the fifth day and included in the quarantine must be their entire household.
For the public sector, testing for vaccinated individuals is required but less frequently. Unvaccinated government workers must be tested twice per week and all guest workers or work permit holders are mandated to be fully vaccinated. It is a new policy and a part of the Covid-19 response which has now ensured that the vast majority of the workforce is jabbed for the virus; it took effect since August 31st.
“The thing about that though, is from my understanding of the Labour laws, when it comes to the employment side of things, because we are still in a health crisis, an Employer can say ‘well we can limit your ability to work at my establishment because you’re more at risk in this environment,” shared the minister last week Friday in speaking to how the private sector could respond.
“I wouldn’t necessarily say they could fire, but they could limit the type of hours that can be done based on your health status because we are still in the middle of this pandemic.”
Twenty three people have died from Covid-19 within the Turks and Caicos Islands; just under ten citizens and residents have died abroad.