Protect the vulnerable says the Opposition Leader; get better Covid therapeutics

By Dana Malcolm

Staff Writer

#TurksandCaicos, January 19, 2022 – ‘Use therapeutics to protect the vulnerable.’ said Leader of the Opposition Edwin Astwood in a statement to Magnetic Media a week ago. Astwood, has concerns about the Turks and Caicos Islands Government’s handling of vulnerable groups during this latest COVID-19 surge especially the elderly.

Astwood said the government has failed in protecting the smaller and older populations on the family islands.

“We are not protecting islands such as Salt Cay who never had a case, with a population of mostly elderly people we have to do better this is getting scary…Another elderly citizen losing their lives due to COVID-19 complications, this is unprecedented here in our country, The elderly must be protected, the vulnerable must be protected especially when treatment options are available.”

An elderly resident of South Caicos had died a day before the statement was issued; the woman was said to be positive for Covid-19 and was categorised as a coronavirus death.  She was fully vaccinated and unboosted.

Since then, another elderly woman has passed and so has a special needs young woman; the former in Provo and latter death marked in Grand Turk.

“After a year in office there has been no advancement to our Covid-19 treatment options.  There are treatments available such as monoclonal antibodies and the Pfizer pills. These things are available and have been proven to be effective in preventing positive people from progressing to more severe disease.”

The death count to Covid-19 in country for the Turks and Caicos is 31; six of them were recorded this January.