By Sue-Ann Wayow
OWNERS of business establishments who want to operate under the TT Safe Zone banner do not have to worry about any registration or application fee.
Health Minister Terrence Deyalsingh announced that from Thursday, the TT Safe Zone certificate will be downloadable from the various ministries’ websites including the Ministry of Health.
The TT Safe Zone certificate will also be emailed today (Wednesday) to the various business chambers and to other organisations including the Bar Owners Association of Trinidad and Tobago (BOATT), he said.
All policies must be abided by and if found in breach, owners can face a $25,000 fixed penalty fine.
Speaking at the Ministry of Health’s virtual media conference on Wednesday, Deyalsingh said, “ We are trying to make this as administratively easy as possible.”
Referring to the TT Safe Zone certificate, he said, “We ask that you display it prominently.”
Additionally, medical exemption and medical deferral forms will also become available from Friday at the public health centres and specialised outpatients clinics at hospitals for both employees and patrons who cannot be vaccinated at all or cannot vaccinated against Covid-19 for a particular period.
On Wednesday, Deyalsingh officially launched the TT Safe Zone concept which Attorney General Faris Al-Rawi detailed on Saturday at the Prime Minister’s Press Conference.
The TT Safe Zone concept, presently, is for only those 12 years and over who are fully vaccinated against Covid-19.
In giving further details about the policies, Deyalsingh said children under the age of 12 were not being disadvantaged but protected from any possible spread of the virus in those establishments especially with the presence of the Delta variant of concern in Trinidad and now in Tobago.
“Right now, there is no vaccine to keep that under 12 cohort safe,” he said.
He also said that there were enough personnel to do the required inspections of these establishments to ensure there was no breach of the vaccination and other health policies which includes that places should have no more than 50% capacity during opening hours.
These inspectors could be vaccinated or unvaccinated.
More details on the two exemption certificates
Chief Medical Officer Dr Roshan Parasram gave additional details regarding the two exemption certificates to be held by employees or patrons.
He also said that training was in place for inspectors to be able to identify fraudulent documents including vaccination cards and on Friday would be having a meeting with the enforcement agencies.
Dr Parasram emphasied that only a physician in the public sector can authorise such certificates and if persons were accessing medical care from the private sector, a referral from that medical personnel can be submitted to the health officer in the public sector.
For a person to receive a medical deferral certificate which would be for a fixed period, the individual would be granted one if the person had Covid-19 within the past three months, is in the first trimester of pregnancy, has an acute medical condition such as a viral illness or gastroenteritis or any other medical condition which require a specialist’s approval.
The medical exemption certificate looks similar to the medical deferral certificate but has no end date, Dr Parasram said.
He said, “It is a semi-permanent certificate which exempts the patient from taking all Covid-19 vaccines available at this time and continuing forward.”
It is eligible for all persons who have contraindications to all Covid-19 vaccines and to those who have other medical conditions which require a specialist’s approval.
All certificates must have the physician’s stamp of his or her medical institution and the Medical Board Registration Number, Dr Parasram added.
Issues to raise with AG
Deyalsingh said he will be seeking clarification on the issue of the sale of alcohol at bars from the Attorney General and food courts at malls will not be deemed a Safe Zone because of the various operators in that one area.
He emphasised that for those who do wish to comply with the TT Safe Zone policies, can still operate under the existing “curb-side pick-up” arrangement.
He also stressed that the consumption of alcohol across the board was not allowed because of the associated behaviour that could aid in the spread of Covid-19.
Persons wishing to obtain TT Safe Zone certificates can download from the following websites: Communications Office of the Prime Minister, Ministry of Trade and Industry, Ministry of Health, Tourism Trinidad Limited, ttconnect and IGovTT.
The TT Safe Zone is open to all restaurants, bars, betting houses, casinos, cinemas, waterparks and gyms.
