Post Cabinet Media Briefing - Thursday March 26th 2020

KEY POINTS AT TODAY'S POST CABINET MEDIA BRIEFING:

- PM Rowley: To manage our response to COVID-19, non-essential activities and operations will be forbidden from midnight on Sunday. A comprehensive list of essential and non-essential work and services will be circulated tomorrow. However, the Health sector and Social Development sector will stay running as these are essential services. Public Utilities (T&TEC, WASA, TSTT) will stay on board and these workers may have to do extra in the coming days. Airports and seaports will also stay open. Customs and Immigration will continue functioning. Banks and supermarkets will stay open at this time and will be asked to use its first two hours to facilitate senior citizens. If you are not classified as an essential worker in this specific time, STAY HOME.

- PM Rowley: This is NOT a State of Emergency.

- PM Rowley: The police will enforce the law when it comes to liming and congregating. They will be supported by the Defence Force.

- PM Rowley: Be a responsible citizen. Cooperate with us as we seek to save lives in Trinidad and Tobago.

- Prime Minister Dr. Keith Rowley tells the media that another arrangement has been made to hold Post Cabinet Media Briefings and other Government Media Conferences that would limit being in the same physical space.

- Prime Minister Dr. Keith Rowley notes that serious actions taken in light of preventing COVID-19 have led to “serious reactions.” He acknowledges that the “National Budget has imploded” but Government is aiming to find resources to manage the country.

- On T&T’s first COVID-19 death, PM Rowley extends condolences to the family. He said: “This single death is a marker for us because we are all exposed together.” He said while many people are taking responsible action to preserve themselves, others have acted irresponsibly.

- Prime Minister Rowley insists there will be no locking down of the country as called for in a Newspaper editorial: “We are not panicking. We are standing up to it. We are relying on the advice of our experts.”

- Prime Minister Rowley defends decision to close borders which left some TT Nationals quarantined in other countries. He said mandatory quarantined is being observed in Barbados and TT Nationals there are not “stranded” as some would like to believe. He said Government will take reasonable action on these nationals. He said after the end of the mandatory quarantine in Barbados, they will be tested there and if they return to TT, they will be subject to the CMO’s guidance.

- Prime Minister Rowley knocks Opposition Leader for revealing the death of T&T's COVID-19 patient before the official statement from the Ministry of Health.

- Minister of Health Terrence Deyalsingh confirms 61 persons have tested Positive for COVID-19 (including 44 who returned from the cruise ship Costa Favolosa). He confirms one death registered as COVID-19.

- An additional $157 million to be made available to the Ministry of Health to deal with COVID-19 Response at four Regional Health Authorities. The $157 million will be spent on Consumables, Human Resources, Infrastructure, and Equipment at the four Regional Health Authorities over the next three to six months.

ERHA $6.2 million - including expenditure to use Balandra quarantine facility
NWRHA: $16.6 million.
SWRHA: $4.5 million.
NCRHA: $129.9 million - including expenditure to keep Caura Health Facility and Couva Hospital running.

This $157 million injection is not the final sum in the COVID-19 Response.

- T&T Health Sector to rely on technical support from China as part of its COVID-19 Response.

- Dr. Marlon Rampaul of the TT COVID-19 Response Team says the Coronavirus is a very challenging disease that is constantly evolving and this is why policies are evolving as well. He said measures like social distancing, practicing proper hygiene, especially to refrain from touching your face and practicing cough etiquette, remain the best bets to fighting COVID-19.

- Social Development Minister Camille Robinson-Regis: CSRs employed in all Social Development Offices to help citizens who have been terminated/retrenched, or whose salaries are reduced as a result of the closure of business due to COVID-19 measures.

- Call Centres up and running. Call 800-1673, or WhatsApp 753-2273.

- Senior Citizens Homes and Care Centres for Elderly to receive subvention to keep running.

- Chief Medical Officer Dr. Roshan Parasram says patient confidentiality was breached when the death of T&T's first COVID-19 patient was revealed before an official statement came from the Ministry of Health. He said a Protocol has to be followed and this was breached. He is in talks to find out how this happened.

- Demographic study to be compiled on T&T's COVID-19 patients, to be categorised by age, sex, etc.

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