| COVID-19 pandemic in Trinidad and Tobago | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Disease | Coronavirus disease 2019 |
| Virus strain | Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 |
| Location | Trinidad and Tobago |
| First outbreak | Wuhan, Hubei, China |
| Index case | Trinidad |
| Arrival date | 12 March 2020 (3 years, 9 months and 4 weeks) |
| Confirmed cases | 63865 (as of 17 November)[1] |
| Active cases | 7689 (as of 17 November)[1] |
| Recovered | 54285 (as of 17 November)[1] |
Deaths | 1891 (as of 17 November)[1] |
| Fatality rate | 2.96% (as of 17 November) |
| Government website | |
| covid19 | |
| Part of a series on the |
| COVID-19 pandemic |
|---|
 Scientifically accurate atomic model of the external structure of SARS-CoV-2. Each "ball" is an atom. |
|
.svg.png.webp){kind=small} COVID-19 portal |
The COVID-19 pandemic in Trinidad and Tobago is part of the ongoing global viral pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), which was confirmed to have reached the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago on 12 March 2020.
Background
On 12 January 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) confirmed that a novel coronavirus was the cause of a respiratory illness in a cluster of people in Wuhan City, Hubei Province, China, which was reported to the WHO on 31 December 2019.[2][3]
The case fatality ratio for COVID-19 has been much lower than SARS of 2003,[4][5] but the transmission has been significantly greater, with a significant total death toll.[6][4]
Timeline
Prevention efforts
Health Minister Terrance Deyalsingh, announced that Trinidad and Tobago had decided to implement restrictions on persons traveling from China. Persons who are living or who have visited China, will be barred from entering Trinidad and Tobago unless they had already been out of China 14 days prior to attempting to travel to Trinidad & Tobago.[9][10][11][12] Travellers whose flights originate from Italy, South Korea, Singapore, Japan, Iran, Germany, Spain, and France are also to be restricted.[12] On 16 March, Prime Minister Keith Rowley announced that the country will close its borders to everyone except Trinidad and Tobago nationals and health workers for the next 14 days. Additionally, bars were to be closed and the school closures extended until 20 April.[13][14][15][16][17] The closure will come into effect by midnight on 17 March.[18][19][20][21]
On 13 March, Rowley announced that schools and universities would be closed across the nation for one week due to the coronavirus fears.[22][23] On 16 March, the closure was extended until 20 April.[14][24][21]
On 15 March, Police Commissioner of T&T Gary Griffith said he would be going into self-quarantine.[25][26][27][28]
Many Hindu associations cancelled Phagwa, Navratri, Ram Navami, and Hanuman Jayanti celebrations.[29][30][31] Many other events were also cancelled or postponed.[32][33]
Restrictions were put in place with regards to prisons nationwide.[34][35] BPTT closed their offices in their response to the coronavirus.[36][37] Deyalsingh said there were 3,000 test kits in Trinidad as of 16 March and 1000 more would be coming.[38] Labour Minister Jennifer Baptiste-Primus announced that pandemic leave would be made available to workers with children.[39][40] On 21 March, National Security Minister Stuart Young announced the closure of all borders to everyone (including nationals & non nationals) effective midnight on Sunday 22 March. He said no international flights would be allowed to enter the country. However, cargo vessels bringing food and pharmaceuticals into the country would be allowed entry.[41]
On 6 April, Rowley extended the stay-at-home order to 30 April (later extended again to 10 May). He announced that until that date all restaurants would be closed, and several business such as supermarkets, bakeries, pharmacies and hardwares would have adjusted opening hours. He also said that people were to wear facemasks when in public, and that the government would work on distributing masks.[42][43]
On 31 August, citizens were required by law to wear masks once they were out in public.[44]
In May 2021, the twin island state was experiencing a third wave of COVID-19, and imposed a state of emergency with curfew from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. with some exceptions to essential services including the energy sector, supermarkets, and pharmacies.[45]
Vaccines
In April 2021, Ministry of Foreign and CARICOM Affairs announced that it had received 40,000 doses of the Oxford–AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine (manufactured by the Serum Institute of India as Covishield) from India as part of the latter's Vaccine Maitri initiative.[46] In June 2021, the US embassy to Trinidad and Tobago was widely mocked after it announced a donation of 80 vials of vaccines (totaling 400 doses) to a country with a population of 1.4 million.[47]
Prime Minister Rowley announced mandatory vaccination for government employees in December 2021, though allowing medical exemptions.[48]
Criticisms of government accounts
Even though the first case of COVID-19 was formally diagnosed on March 12, 2020, and attributed to a traveler from Switzerland, there have been suspicions about the virus circulating locally before then. A visitor to Trinidad and Tobago who returned to Alberta, Canada, was formally diagnosed with the virus there in early March.[49] The province's chief medical officer of health made the announcement on March 11,[49] a day before the first case in Trinidad and Tobago.
On April 16, 2020, Kamla Persad-Bissessar, the former Prime Minister and current Opposition Leader, demanded that the government "come clean" about their testing capacity as well as the "true state of the coronavirus spread in Trinidad and Tobago."[50]
Statistics
Cumulative confirmed cases, recoveries and deaths
New cases per day
Deaths per day
Active cases per day
Chronology of the number of active cases in Trinidad and Tobago.
Graphics
Density of COVID-19 cases recorded in Phase 2 (Sep 2020).
Locations where the COVID-19 cases were recorded.
Age and Sex Distribution of COVID-19 Positive cases.
Age and Sex Distribution of COVID-19 deaths.
See also
References
- 1 2 3 4 "COVID-19 DAILY UPDATE - Wednesday September 15th, 2021". health.gov.tt. Retrieved 16 September 2021.
- ↑ Elsevier. "Novel Coronavirus Information Center". Elsevier Connect. Archived from the original on 30 January 2020. Retrieved 15 March 2020.
- ↑ Reynolds, Matt (4 March 2020). "What is coronavirus and how close is it to becoming a pandemic?". Wired UK. ISSN 1357-0978. Archived from the original on 5 March 2020. Retrieved 5 March 2020.
- 1 2 "Crunching the numbers for coronavirus". Imperial News. 13 March 2020. Archived from the original on 19 March 2020. Retrieved 15 March 2020.
- ↑ "High consequence infectious diseases (HCID); Guidance and information about high consequence infectious diseases and their management in England". GOV.UK. Archived from the original on 3 March 2020. Retrieved 17 March 2020.
- ↑ "World Federation Of Societies of Anaesthesiologists – Coronavirus". www.wfsahq.org. Archived from the original on 12 March 2020. Retrieved 15 March 2020.
- ↑ "Ministry of Health COVID-19 Media Release Archive". Trinidad and Tobago Ministry of Health.
- ↑ "Ministry of Health, Trinidad & Tobago: COVID-19 Tracker". Ministry of Health. Retrieved 29 March 2022.
- ↑ "COVID-19: T&T closes borders to non-nationals for 14 days".
- ↑ "Trinidad & Tobago Shuts Out International Community to Stem Spread of COVID-19; Schools Closed". 16 March 2020. Archived from the original on 18 March 2020. Retrieved 17 March 2020.
- ↑ "Cabinet announces 14-day travel restrictions from China". guardian.co.tt. Archived from the original on 22 February 2020. Retrieved 27 February 2020.
- 1 2 "3 more European nations on T&T's COVID-restricted list".
- ↑ "Jamaica Observer Limited".
- 1 2 "Trinidad and Tobago unplugged: Rowley closes nation's borders for 14 days; pubs to shut down". 16 March 2020.
- ↑ Nanton, Sampson (16 March 2020). "T&T shuts down borders, bars to be closed". Trinidad and Tobago Guardian. Retrieved 16 March 2020.
- ↑ "Government ramps up anti-COVID-19 measures in T&T".
- ↑ "Trinidad & Tobago Shuts Out International Community to Stem Spread of COVID-19; Schools Closed". 16 March 2020. Archived from the original on 18 March 2020. Retrieved 16 March 2020.
- ↑ Clyne, Kalifa Sarah (16 March 2020). "Government shuts TT borders". Trinidad and Tobago Newsday. Retrieved 16 March 2020.
- ↑ CMC, Added 16 March 2020. "Trinidad on lockdown - NationNews Barbados - Local, Regional and International News". Nationnews.com. Archived from the original on 18 March 2020. Retrieved 19 March 2020.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ↑ "Trinidad and Tobago Bans All Non-Nationals from Entering Country for 14 Days". 16 March 2020.
- 1 2 "Trinidad & Tobago closes its borders as COVID-19 cases double to four · Global Voices". 16 March 2020.
- ↑ "Rowley: Schools, universities to be closed for one week". looptt.com. Archived from the original on 17 March 2020. Retrieved 13 March 2020.
- ↑ "Schools, universities close for one week, to slow spread of COVID-19". Trinidad Express Newspapers. 13 March 2020. Retrieved 13 March 2020.
- ↑ "Schools to remain closed until April 20".
- ↑ "Coronavirus: Trinidad Police Commissioner Gary Griffith to self-quarantine". 16 March 2020. Archived from the original on 18 March 2020. Retrieved 16 March 2020.
- ↑ "Trinidad Police Commissioner Gary Griffith to self-quarantine". 15 March 2020.
- ↑ "Commissioner Griffith is back; self quarantines for 14 days". 15 March 2020.
- ↑ "Griffith on return from London: I will go in self-quarantine". 14 March 2020.
- ↑ "No Phagwa in south Trinidad". 14 March 2020.
- ↑ "Coronavirus scare cancels Phagwa celebrations".
- ↑ "Phagwa, ELR concert cancelled". 13 March 2020.
- ↑ "Events cancelled over covid19 fears". 12 March 2020.
- ↑ "TT, regional events cancelled over covid19". 13 March 2020.
- ↑ "Prisons lock down over COVID-19". 16 March 2020.
- ↑ "Prison Service limits visits to prevent COVID-19 spread". Archived from the original on 18 March 2020. Retrieved 16 March 2020.
- ↑ "Coronavirus: Trinidad and Tobago natural gas company BPTT closes offices". 16 March 2020. Archived from the original on 18 March 2020. Retrieved 16 March 2020.
- ↑ "BPTT closes offices for one month".
- ↑ "3,000 covid19 test kits in TT". 16 March 2020.
- ↑ "Pandemic leave for workers with children".
- ↑ "Trinidad: Workers, you can get Pandemic Leave". 16 March 2020. Archived from the original on 18 March 2020. Retrieved 17 March 2020.
- ↑ "T&T's borders closed to all". Trinidad Express Newspapers. 21 March 2020.
- ↑ "Stay-at-Home order extended, PM says all restaurants will be closed". Trinidad and Tobago Guardian. 6 April 2020.
- ↑ Trinidad extends stay at home order until May 10, TRINIDAD & TOBAGO NEWS, published April 25, 2020
- ↑ Parsanlal, Nneka (29 August 2020). "Senate passes bill for mandatory mask-wearing". LoopTT. Archived from the original on 26 October 2020. Retrieved 27 September 2020.
- ↑ "Trinidad and Tobago declares state of emergency as COVID-19 cases surge". Reuters. 15 May 2021. Retrieved 16 May 2021.
- ↑ "TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO RECEIVES COVID-19 VACCINES FROM INDIA". Ministry of Foreign and CARICOM Affairs. 13 April 2021. Retrieved 26 July 2021.
- ↑ Jankowicz, Mia. "The US Embassy in Trinidad and Tobago was mocked after announcing it had donated 80 vials of COVID-19 vaccine to the nation of 1.4 million people". Business Insider. Retrieved 14 June 2021.
- ↑ "PSA slams PM's 'vaccine mandate' as unlawful". Trinidad and Tobago Newsday. 21 December 2021. Retrieved 21 January 2022.
- 1 2 Hudes, Sammy (11 March 2020). "'A new normal': Alberta confirms seven new COVID-19 cases, four from Calgary area". Calgary Herald. Retrieved 17 April 2020.
- ↑ "Kamla slams 'political freak show', demands 'true' COVID-19 stats". Loop News. 16 April 2020. Archived from the original on 7 June 2020. Retrieved 17 April 2020.