By Prior Beharry
WORK from home and stay at home.
This was the message of the government as Covid-19 cases continue to increase in Trinidad and Tobago.
People were now encouraged to work from home, with public transportation reduced to 50% and all construction projects stopped.
At a press conference at the Diplomatic Centre in St Ann’s on Friday, Minister in the Office of the Prime Minister Stuart Young announced the new measures which take effect from Saturday (May 8) and end on May 23.
Many of the restrictions announced by Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley at two press conferences last week Thursday and Monday remain.
All retail outlets including groceries and pharmacies will still close at 8pm.
While the government had changed the regulations made under the Public Halth Ordinance to prohibit membership outlets such as PriceSmart, they are now allowed to open to sell only grocery items, Young said.
All non-essential employees are to work from home but businesses are allowed minimal staff of essential workers.
The measures include:
- Establishments are to be closed by 8pm with 50% capacity when opened;
- Public transportation to reduce capacity from 75% to 50%;
- Mask wearing in public remains mandatory;
- Gatherings limited to a maximum of five;
- Only in-house domestic workers allowed;
- Where an institution is designated as essential, it is expected that any non-essential personnel will be allowed to work from home;
- Membership clubs such as PriceSmart will remain open but for the sale of only grocery items;
- Auto repair garages will operate on an emergency basis only;
- Energy sector remains open;
- Restaurants remain closed and are asked to refrain from operating any informal delivery service; and
- All construction services are to be halted.
Also speaking at the press conference were Principal Medical Officer Institutions Dr Maryam Abdool-Richards and Thoracic Medical Director at the Caura Hospital, Dr Michelle Trotman.
Dr Trotman said the vast majority of Covid-19 patients were now entering hospital very ill, at a younger age and staying for longer.
Dr Abdool-Richards said between March 1 to May 5, the number of people requiring ambulance care increase by 47%, and this impacted on emergency services for non-Covid-19 patients.
The prime minister said the measures were necessary since people continued to breach the public health regulations.
He said, “The rest of this country is to batten down for the next two weeks.”
Dr Rowley added, “The fact that nobody has died in your family is not an excuse to play the fool.”
He said the new measures were not a life sentence, but only for two weeks.
Since the beginning of the year, there have been 64 deaths due to Covid-19 in T&T broken down as follows:
January: 4
February: 5
March: 3
April: 27
May 1: 2
May 2: 3
May 3: 5
May 4: 6
May 5: 4
May 6: 2
