#Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands – August 27, 2020 — Turks and Caicos is added to the growing list of places which are abandoning the standard that COVID-19 patient recovery is measured by two negative RT-PCR tests. Edwin Astwood, the Minister of Health on Wednesday said Cabinet has agreed to give clearance to previously positive patients after 10-days of having experienced no fever or symptoms of the coronavirus.
“The Ministry of Health has updated its standard operating procedures
for recoveries and people being relieved from quarantine which is based on
technical guidance received from PAHO, Public Health England, CDC, WHO and
CARPHA. These new protocols for
recoveries and persons being released from quarantine are now being instituted
by the Ministry of Health Agriculture Sports and Human Services (and) will come
into effect immediately.”
The announcement, backed up by “new and emerging science”
was met with skepticism and labelled risky by some tuned into the national
press conference broadcast live from the Office of the Premier in
Providenciales, Turks and Caicos.
Still the world’s leading health regulators including the
World Health Organization (WHO), the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) and
the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) are promoting the research as a
recommendation.
The WHO updated its recovery recommendation since May 27,
2020. An excerpt from its website says
this:
Criteria for
discharging patients from isolation (i.e., discontinuing transmission-based
precautions) without requiring retesting[1]:
For symptomatic patients: 10 days after symptom onset,
plus at least 3 additional days without symptoms (including without
fever [2] and
without respiratory symptoms)[3]
For asymptomatic cases[4]:
10 days after positive test for SARS-CoV-2
The WHO says there is
some risk associated with this “isolation discharge criteria” and adds, “There is a minimal
residual risk that transmission could occur with these non–test-based criteria.”
Among the reasons for
the change is to bring relief to medical centers which need the bed space; to cut-down
workload on testing centers which are overwhelmed by new and repeated testing
demands; to support healthy patients with a more expeditious return to life in
the ‘new normal’ and to embrace the science which says COVID-19’s dead particles
are responsible for positive diagnoses long past the time a patient is
infectious.
The WHO, in that June
17 brief, encourages countries that can, to continue laboratory testing. The Turks and Caicos has opted to go a new and
different route which should dramatically increase the figures on recoveries.
“If a person who had
recovered from COVID-19 is retested within three months of the initial
infection they may continue to have a positive test result, even though they
may be spreading COVID-19,” said Minister Astwood, who shared about individuals
held in long isolations: “…they have been in quarantine for some 25 days, some 35
days, some 45 days and they feel well, they feel healthy and they are wondering
why they have to stay this long in quarantine and the results now, the science
now backs up that we can now release those persons from quarantine much earlier;
10-days and 14-days depending on symptoms and if the person is asymptomatic.”
While some may say we
can trust the science, there is grave concern about whether we can trust the
patient. The Ministry of Health will
admittedly be relying upon patients to be honest about their state of health.
“We have to rely on
persons to be honest and truthful but still they will be under the quarantine
order to remain at home and if they have fever and symptoms we want them to
report that, the Minister of Health continued with, “We have seen that persons
have not been giving full and complete information but we have more good people
out there than bad so, we know that we will get from our people here in Turks
and Caicos Islands, at least 95 to 95 percent compliance with this because we
have a lot of people who want to do the right thing.”
Minister Astwood’s
enthusiasm is not shared by many residents.
By admission, some positive patients were not forthcoming during the
contact tracing phase. By widespread
observation, individuals have shown a reckless tendency to shirk responsibility
of self-quarantine regulations in order to get out and about.
Thousands of tests
have been used up in the previous method of retesting before clearance is given. Scores of people have been waiting weeks for medical
clearance to return to work because Health personnel have been unable to
deliver timely follow-ups.
The Minister was
optimistic that reducing this painstaking process of sequential negatives for
the coronavirus will allow his team to move on to community testing, which had
been waylaid by a surge in coronavirus cases.
In the past two days,
81 new cases of the coronavirus were recorded for the Turks and Caicos Islands;
bringing the country’s total number of infections to 464.
Magnetic Media is a Telly Award winning multi-media company specializing in creating compelling and socially uplifting TV and Radio broadcast programming as a means for advertising and public relations exposure for its clients.
Development for Latin America and the Caribbean is on track as 22 percent of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG’s) are in good standing, with the expectation of being reached by 2030, compared to only 15 percent globally.
This is according to the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), during the seventh Forum of Latin American and Caribbean Countries on Sustainable Development.
Though this is good news, the organization reports that there is concern as the progresses for 46 percent of those targets remain insufficient and 36 percent projected to me missed.
This is due to issues such as extreme poverty which the report says was at 11.4 percent in 2023, stagnating poverty rates, 29.1 percent; rising food insecurity, 29.6 percent in 2022; high homicides rated at 19.9 per 100,000 inhabitants in 2021; and the increase in climate disasters that disproportionately affect vulnerable populations in the region
The SDG’s emerged in September of 2015, when the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development was adopted by all 193 Member States of the United Nations at the Sustainable Development Summit in New York.
They were described as “a shared blueprint for peace and prosperity for people and the planet, now and into the future.”
This recent development comes after reports last year stated that the region must advance its efforts, which appears to be the case this year. However, there is much room for further actions, given the concerns of some of the goals being missed due to insufficient progress.
A warm welcome laced with cautious hope from residents is what greeted Edvin Martin, Commissioner of the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force (RTCIPF), when he was sworn into office on April 22, 2024.
Washington Misick, TCI Premier and Co-chair of the National Security Council, spoke on behalf of residents during the ceremony, held in Providenciales.
“We have been looking forward to your arrival and for everything that we know about you we are expecting great things,” Misick said, indicating the country was anxious for a return to more peaceful days.
Acknowledging that policing is not the job of a single person, Misick also vowed his support.
The residents who tuned into the live event shared similar sentiments, many welcoming Martin, others, hopeful that his confident words would come to fruition.
Dozens of congratulatory comments were shared by users to Martin, and obviously appraised of his record as former police chief of the Royal Grenada Defense Force commenters expressed satisfaction at his hiring.
“One country’s loss is the next one’s gain….all the best sir,” said one user.
Others were pleased with his introductory remarks.
“He speaks with great confidence, professionalism, and surety, I have faith that he and the entire RTCIPF will do well, God Bless and protect you all,” one resident said.
Another followed it up with “He speaks with great authority! We are looking forward to great work from you and the RTCIPF team at large.”
Others were interested and hopeful, but still cautious, comments included:
“We Shall see what will be what.”
“Hopefully we see more than just ‘Round-about Policing’ and Ticketing. We want guns off the street. Justice and Peace. All the best.”
Also in the comments? Residents seemingly from Martin’s home country of Grenada
“Proud of you Mr. Martin and I am confident that you will do an excellent job. God is with you and we love and respect you,” said one such individual.
Other residents were flat-out angry and called for boycotts of the ceremony.
Rodney Adams, Deputy Commissioner of Police, advised Martin to take stock of and put to use his entire team rather than engaging with a select few.
“I firmly believe that a house divided against itself cannot stand. We, your executive team, are here willing and able to work with you as our team leader to get the job done.”
For his part, Martin made several promises to the people of the TCI, for whom he is now responsible.
“As your Commissioner of Police, I assure you of my unwavering commitment to serve this nation with pride and integrity. I commit to being a Commissioner for the people and doing everything within my power to safeguard our communities.”
Hon. Kyle Knowles in “Forging Ahead: Building A Stronger, More Sustainable Ministry” has begun to set out on his mandate as he and his executive team continue introductory visits around the Islands within the Departments of the Ministry of Public Safety and Utilities.
The Minister accompanied by Permanent Secretary Mrs. Bridgette Newman, Director of Water Undertaken Mr. Omowale Harvey, Head of Secretariat Ms. Shanetta Thompson, and Executive Administrator Ms. Jasmine Malcolm on April 19th, 2024, ferried over to the Salt Cay.
The aim of the visit was to familiarize himself with the staff and to view the water plant and all water distribution sites on the Island. The Hon. Minister also took the opportunity to hear and observe the Department successes, challenges, and concerns firsthand.
Additionally, it allows the Minister the opportunity to communicate with the community on his position, goals, and objectives as their new Minister with responsibilities of Water Undertaken.
The Minister and his Executive Team look forward to their upcoming visits to the various Departments around the islands as they continue to build a stronger, more sustainable ministry.