Quarantine poses challenge for returning locals
(CNS): The need to quarantine individuals who are returning from overseas, given the high levels of COVID-19 infection in countries like the UK and the US, is posing challenges for Caymanians stuck overseas. But Premier Alden McLaughlin refuted allegations that government was prioritising expatriate workers over locals on Friday, when he set out some of the problems the government has faced as it tries to get people home safely.
Responding to some of the misinformation and exaggerated claims making the rounds on social media about government’s policy towards returners, as well as the complaints about the need to quarantine, the premier spoke at length at Friday’s press briefing about the position government is taking on quarantine and the shortage of rooms.
However, McLaughlin said that getting Caymanians home remained the priority for government.
Around 100 people returned on the British Airways flight this week, which departed Friday evening taking around 275 people to London. With 69 Caymanians returning home on that flight, they made up the majority of the incoming passengers.
There were also two permanent residents as well as civil servants and a team to work on the airport project, who will all be quarantined at government’s expense.
There were also 19 work permit holders on board, McLaughlin said, but in accordance with government policy they will all be required to pay for their own stay in quarantine.
The quarantine situation has become more challenging, McLaughlin acknowledged, not just because of the increasing number of people requiring quarantine but because many of the hotels that had previously offered rooms to government at cost are now refurbishing their facilities in preparation for staycations this summer once they are allowed.
McLaughlin said it has access to three facilities, or 246 rooms. These are the Holiday Inn and the Wyndham, which government is paying for, and Palm Heights, which is available at cost. However, he said that government is trying to secure another hotel.
The premier said government was aware that there are 110 Caymanians and more then 50 residents in the US who have registered to come home. He explained that in future, border control was handing repatriation flights from the US and managing the quarantine. With just one point to handle all flights in and out, he said he hoped things would get easier.
Explaining why government is still requiring people to be in mandatory official quarantine, he said that with the levels of infection in the United States and the United Kingdom, it was too risky to allow people to self-isolate because government did not have the resources to monitor the number of people returning.
“No one knows what the impact of the introduction of another strain of the virus will have on infection rates or how sick it may make people who become infected. So for the time being we are going to insist people isolate in a government facility for 14 days,” he said.
McLaughlin dismissed the idea of using electronic monitoring as it requires infrastructure that Cayman does not have and it would take time and money to do it.
Danielle Coleman, the director of Hazard Management Cayman Islands, explained that a lot of research and analysis had gone into assessing the best way for Cayman to manage this risk of people returning who could be infected.
Public health has largely been able to monitor the smaller numbers of patients testing positive who were already here for the period of their isolation but the number of those returning is much higher.
Coleman said that at this point, the government mandated quarantine facilities remained the most appropriate and safest option to deal with people returning from overseas.
McLaughlin stressed that if there was a better option, government would be using it, as it is both challenging and expensive to run the current quarantine system, but government has not yet found a more satisfactory way of cutting the very real risk of introducing a more virulent strain of the virus and undermining the massive effort and sacrifice here to contain it and keep people safe.
See the full COVID-19 briefing on CIGTV below:
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Category: Health, Medical Health
Why can’t there be a limited amount of coordination on Intl Mail delivery via the emergency air bridges and repatriation flights? Sending mail by cargo ship or courier bags would be faster. Buy a UV light and get going man!
WOW
Are they still not doing mail.
Why?
Our food comes from USA and most other freight why not mail!
No plan CIG again!
Already have cargo flights every week. But the post office would have to get off their backsides and make arrangements with the overseas postal services.
FFS just pick up your suitcase and walk out. They have no legal basis on which to detain you.
That is a very good point. What is the legal position.
What’s this strain the NOW DR premier speaks of?
The same one as the rest of the Caribbean, same one as UAE,Greece,Egypt….What is he talking about look at all the other countries with a death rate like ours OR lower!
Absolutely agree. Where does he get this idea of different strains etc. Of course viruses can mutate but I have never heard this mentioned in any overseas reporting
🦠🤣🦠😂🤪🆘🧟♂️ Monsters are coming Mr. Premier! Hide under your bed.
I have been wanting to come home for months BUT as I went out in my boat here in the Bahamas today and put on my scuba gear ( without spitting in it as the CIG would have you believe ) I told my friend we could not do this if I was home and they laughed!
Today I had two great dives and spent the day out in my boat with a couple of friends.
And Tomorrow here in the Bahamas we open to Private Vessels and Private Aircraft from tomorrow THOUGH Residence and Home owners have been able to come in for weeks!
Airport fully open on the 1st.
So…..MR PM and MR Gov Thank you! You made my day great we had some great diving a swim on the beach and everyone I know in the islands enjoyed the joke that you have turned us into!
Get a plan!
From the random capitalization, my guess is South African or Trumpster.
From the “Trumpster”remark I’m guessing Aldenister or Bushit.
None of the above!
Even some of us Caymanians use of plans as well and have invested a lot in our home land.
Yeah and all those coronavirus cases are coming in soon from Floriduh. Wonderful.
Over 2,600 new coronavirus cases today in Florida. Bahamas will soon have health problems. Guaranteed.
Ive seen a certain person’s private plane come and go a few times now in the past 11 weeks. How come they dont have to quarantine?
How do you know they don’t? I know a few people that have arrived by private plane and have had to quarantine in the CIG facility like everyone else.
Ummm….duh, because theyve been seen by many to NOT be in quarantine. Did you think I was speculating or did you just miss the point?
Im not trying to call you out but want the facts.
1.Where they confirmed to have arrived on the private plane and seen walking off it when they arrived?
2. Where they seen out and about OR at their home within 14 days of being seen coming off the private plan.
IF so we all should be told about this.
Not everyone is ignorant and lives in fear. Even here.
People are stuck overseas because they chose to sit still when the Government issued a recall. Also, with social distancing on the plans, the planeloads are significantly smaller so only a few people are returning each time.
The quarantine seems harsh, but it’s necessary to keep us all safe as some people are not responsible or disciplined enough to self-isolate for 14 days.
The alternative would be to fill the planes with potentially infected people, don’t test them on the way in and let them roam free to infect everyone they come in contact with.
Is that what we want?
You insensitive jerk. Some Caymanians are stuck overseas because we were undergoing cancer treatment or other serious medical problems and did not “sit still”..and are now being penalized for being sick. I wish you could trade places with us for just one day and experience our anxiety and distress , on top of being seriously ill.
Only an Idiot with a capital “I” would believe that sitting few feet apart in a sealed tube breathing the same circulating air would prevent him from getting infected.
This distancing thing requirement cracks me up, especially in the open air.
Please spread this amazing piece of information around to your friends. Keep the ignorance from flying out of Cayman.
Of course it’s not actually sealed, 2with air being exchanged with the outside, and the circulated air goes through HEPA filters, but hey, don’t let the facts get in the way. The biggest viral transmission risks in a plane are the same as the ones on the ground – touching contaminated surfaces and touching your face, and inhaling exhaled viral particles from an infected person.
No just because you do a ” Recall ” does not mean you had a chance to get home.
You plan idea is BS. I have offered to charter my own plan! and still NO Isolation facility.
As for responsibility and Discipline WELL most people have this and the fact you think they don’t is either because you would not do it OR you a lead to believe this by the Premier.
Your alternative is a JOKE and helps no one. There is plenty of alternatives but the PM does not want to show he was wrong and want to prove his power.
PS – Social distancing on the return from MIA what are you talking about the flight comes back empty!
Everyone is different and has different needs and abilities. Not everyone got stuck like you would have. Not everyone could return when you would have. Not everyone should have to live like you want them to. Not everyone just thinks of themselves like you. Most of them have family, businesses and jobs, illnesses and many other things to take into account. Most people have more to think about than just themselves. You should set yourself up and hide from the rest of us forever while we go about our lives so you don’t get infected by us.
Nearly every civilized country evacuated its citizen who were traveling the world and got caught by the pandemic far away from their homelands.
Cayman refuses to bring its own citizens, many of them had medical procedures, back home.
How🤬up this is? If you just IMAGINE not being unable to get home FOR MONTHS! All of them must unite and SUE this joke of a country upon return. History won’t be kind to Premier, Governor and blind death and dumb MLAs.
If your pathetic leaders have not noticed yet that the world is changing, I think they should. They will be held responsible. It is 2020- there are no slaves and masters any longer. Yet they continue behaving as if Cayman is still a colony and Premier is the Master who disregards Constitution and Bill of Rights.
correction: “blind, deaf and dumb MLAs”
Even in China, one quarantines at home, albeit with government cameras in front of the house. So ashamed at how ignorant our government is on not knowing isolation is only important if one cannot test and or tests positive. No other country in the world has mandatory isolation in a government facility!
basically an imprisonment
Yes, I’d be imprisoned in my house versus a government facility that won’t let me in. The point of the post was Cayman is more draconian than communist China.
yeah, i’d surely opt to live under the chinese regime. get a grip already.
Have you tried? You might like it. Your government regulates every step you make. You submitted to walking single file in “alphabetical order” for Pet’s sake, even Chinese you hate so much have more freedom and less paranoia.
Seriously, you want the govt to have a policeman by your door? Some of the people who returned did not obey the honor system of self isolating, and the govt had to do this mandatory system. Do you want the dead bodies to pile up in front of your door?
The facts are some did not honor the system. We don’t know what percentage. But despite this, there are no dead bodies. So how do you come to your conclusion?
Dead bodies – smh – that sums up the insular negativity to changing anything here whilst Alden unlawfully (probably) restricts our human rights.
Yes, but you get shot in China for whining about the government like you do.
Are you sure? Nobody but USA police shoots people first then thinks
How can it possibly pose problems? Quarantine them, simple. Look at the world stats rising every damn day for gods sake,
All of a sudden we decide we want deaths here now then? Quarantine them
Stick your head back in the sand
Easier to just quarantine those who fear the rest of us. Quarantine yourself and you solve your own problem. We choose life. You can choose prison. Please.
Triple masker…
different rules for caymanians and work permit holders make a mockery of the caymankind mantra and surely could be challenged legally
It’s called putting putting your people first. For Caymanians this is home, they don’t have somewhere else to go. Work permit holders don’t have to come here. It is a choice for them, do yes there are different rules, as there should be.
caymankind….a great christian nation……zzzzzzzzzzzz
For many expats this is home also. We also believe there should be different rules for expats/Caymanians. Those with money live. Those without hide.
Yet all these caymanians chose to be abroad for whatever reason. That’s not a choice?
Really – how ignorant are you? Medical treatment for starters, or family matters requiring to be off island. Education – oh yes Cayman’s education system is world class…. I’m also sure there are many other legitimate reasons for being off island.
Cayman is home to work permit holders. They cannot be lawfully excluded. Of course they can lawfully be required to quarantine, and required to pay for it.
Government has shown once again it is incapable of managing anything remotely complicated and different to their regular work. The government has admitted there are hundreds of people (600 I thought the governor said) who are still waiting to come back 3 months after they closed the airport! Up until a few weeks ago they only had one quarantine facility running!
Once again Government has failed the proportionality test. It is seeking to exert control over a group of Caymanians who find themselves outside of the country. Rather than find a way of bringing these people back quickly, government has insisted on stopping them because they don’t have the accommodation. This was OK for a short while but we are 11 weeks since they closed the airport! They have had plenty of time to either find accommodation or come up with another way to achieve the same goal.
The lack of empathy or ability to do two things at once is truly frightening. We deserve better leadership than this!
Over the past 2 weeks there have been many different countries in our region talking about their plans for opening the economies to tourism. Our country still hasn’t got its own people home!
Why if i go to a resturant in GT its only 6 people but in Camana Bay its 25 people???? some influence going on?
Because the Camana Bay ones have more outdoor seating area – virtually unlimited pavement space? The seating plan is approved by curfewtime on a case by case basis. PS Dart doesnt actually own the CB ones you know – they are tenants. And before you start with the favoritism for Camana Bay.Dart stuff, none of the financial services industry offices in CB are fully open – plenty of businesses in GT now open.
I’ve been asking the same but now we have a positive in hospital.
Humans don’t share one immune system and one level is of health. The minute people understand this they will fear the virus less.
The problem here is the ignorance of life. Everything is fear driven. Not gonna change in this lifetime in these islands.
It’s possible Cayman is currently the only country in the world with forced government quarantine. Either we have an incredibly intelligent Minister or Health or …
What you have is dictatorship and despotism.
So I ask the basic question one more time:
Given that the consensus of opinions indicate that the virus is going to be with us somewhere in the world for a long if not indefinite time and may indeed become s seasonal contagion are the government proposing a quarantine period be effected on all passengers coming to the the islands to be implemented for the next 10 or 20 years or more?
What? Wait? Do we have to think past the next opportunity to go on television?
Cayman is the ONLY country in the Caribbean with no plan on how to bring people in or a plan on how they are reopening boarders.
And like the PM says who would want to travel WELL Dumb Dumb people are and they are going to spend their money in all the other open Caribbean islands while we are looking like idiots!
You’ve never had it so good!
If I hear one more comment from pretentious, uninformed expatriates stating how this Island wouldn’t be where it is without them I’ll go mad!
This Island has survived for centuries through the foresight, fortitude and dedication from past leaders without help from ungrateful outsiders; you yourselves are your own worst enemies, causing rifts between local Caymanians with your “I’m better than you “attitudes. Many of you seem to have the attitude that you are somehow superior. Stop and think why you are here; a far less hostile environment than where you are from, living on an Island paradise where your children can grow up safe and thrive in a healthy multi nationality non racist environment not to mention the outrageous salaries some of you are raking in, a majority of you wouldn’t get a job back where you are from. This is where Cayman went wrong allowing persons to come here under false pretenses with fake resumes and no thorough background checks, you know who I’m talking about, if only employers would scrutinize your credentials and attitudes this Island would be a far better place for all. If you wish to reside here, adhere gracefully to the rules and regulations that affect you, be more appreciative of your new found circumstances and wealth. You are and yours are guests here be thankful.
So why did the island with so much foresight , fortitude and leadership for centuries allow foreigners in? Besides, this article is about letting Caymanians back in. Please don’t detract from the extremely serious subject matter of allowing Caymanians to return home. Surely Caymanians are who you want?
I am a Caymanian and I can tell you this country wouldn’t be successful, if we didn’t have the skills and experience of many expats here today or those who have been here before.
So do feel free to go mad!!
Your post is ill informed and pretty sad considering the very obvious contributions both Caymanians and expats have made in making Cayman successful.
Your negative attitude for expats is not constructive or helpful in the current situation where so many people (both Caymanians and expats) have lost their jobs.
10:56 you are clearly one of those “caymanians” that sells out their own.
You are clearly one of those many Caymanians who only think about themselves. Better you just live alone with no one around you. You won’t be missed.
You are clearly a Caymanian who feels entitled for nothing more than being Caymanian.
Grow up. This isn’t 4th grade.
@8.13pm. It must be nice to live in your world where it’s so simple. This isn’t about selling anyone out and never has been. However the fact that you think like that talks more about your own insecurities than anything else.
Reality is reality. Cayman is successful because Caymanians and expats have worked together and it has benefited Caymanians enormously. Sorry if you don’t like that. Doesn’t change reality though.
Non racist? Tell that to all the racists here, please.
One more comment.
Brush up on your history my friend.
Don’t be mad; be glad!
Surely those returning could be tested b 4 coming bk with medical paperwork saying yay or nay re virus.
The virus doesn’t work that way. 14+ day incubation.
Wrong. The test shows whether one has Covid or not. The test is indifferent to whether one has symptoms or not.
WRONG!
It is a proven fact that PCR testing is most accurate on day 7 or 8 AFTER posable exposure. Day 7 / 8 will have the least risk of showing a false negative.
Waiting until day 14 increases the risk of a false negative
SO…..If you come in on a flight and are placed in isolation for 7 days and then tested and are negative than all is good,
IF CIG could relies this they could save almost a week of lucking people up.
4:51 pm, hmmmm, not sure you are correct. Check your facts. The term “incubation period” is the time between infection and when first symptoms appear.
Studies show that on average the incubation period for coronavirus is 5 days, and rarely two days.
https://www.webmd.com/lung/coronavirus-incubation-period
Up to 14 day incubation is the current understanding. Submitting a PCR snapshot of someone days before travel date doesn’t give any meaningful diagnostic of the days of possible exposure since the administration date. That’s why there is a quarantine.
One quarantines when there is no test available.
But the tests do!
Idiot!
That’s exactly right. Tested today and then possibly pick up the virus in transit. Then turned loose to scatter it all about?
Imo, 14 days is the bare minimum.
Quarantine is necessary in the absence of the ability to test!
so why did we let construction workers back based on the results of one single test?
But if nay they might not be allowed on the plane!!
That’s exactly how it works in any country interested in keeping its tourism workforce from going hungry. This is true even in Democratic states which tells us the 14 day + incubation is utter ignorance. Who needs isolation is our government who’s heads are buried so deep in the sand they are becoming a danger to Cayman.
They’re most likely to pick it up whilst travelling.
Most likely in bars and night clubs. Good thing we don’t have any of those.
For goodness sake it’s not rocket science, they just have no fresh ideas coming in, and no avenue for constructive suggestions and assistance from the wider community. There is no need for all this “policing” and extorting money from returning permit holders if they have their own homes, and self isolate. Those in isolation should have wearables instead. Get with the times.
I do wonder though if some of the cases that are being picked up in the screening net are no longer active.
My niece who works in a nursing home in NY was diagnosed on April 4 when she started showing symptoms. That means she was infected around March 30 or so.
She did not get the all clear to return to work until June 11th. She had been tested three times after recovery and got her first negative on June 11th when a rapid test was as administered.
So that extended for a lengthy period from positive test on April 4 to first negative on June 11th—around 9 weeks, with a generous give or take, before a negative test was achieved.
That leaves me to speculate that some of these asymptomatic cases that are now being picked up may be a matter of dead virus remaining in the body? No longer infectious?
Don’t know. But seems it could be.
4:43 pm: I recall Dr. Lee saying that the British health authorities had told him to release people who were being held in quarantine for weeks upon weeks awaiting a negative test.
The thing is that while I think that there is a lot of value in testing, some of the cases that are being picked up now may not actually be “new” cases. Nevertheless, we are reporting them as such.
That will result in our statistics and its resulting parabola being skewed on the high end, when in reality it is flattening.
Just saying…
To those who say Caymanians can come home, here is the message they get from government: “Once CIG are able to house more people they will be in touch with those registered on the system so make sure he is registered and he will be contacted towards the end of the month.” Once month end comes, and after tickets are paid for (and lost) one is told there is no space.
Right on and yes it is not just Caymanians, And yes as a expat w/p I agree you should get a chance before me BUT after 2 months and asking for Isolation facilities NOTHING! Not an email back!
I even offered to use one of my vacant rental properties so that I was not with my family that is there but NO thats not allowed.
I personally would have no objections to paying $200 per day to an out of work person to be the security to ensure I do not leave my home.
There is so many people out of work and this at least help them out and allow me to come home to my family.
But guess what thats not allowed!
As the Caymanian who wrote above, I appreciate your adding that the same message is sent to many. There are some who are pathetically fooled into thinking we make this stuff up. I’m hoping the government is embarrassed to act in a proper and professional manner. It’s abundantly clear, they don’t have the capacity to do so by choice.
Can I ask why you’ve waited so long to return? Or gave you been waiting since March?
Read his post@! Said he has been asking for 2 months.
Some people had medical issues/surgeries requiring extended hospital stays into April/May & now cant get back. Some lost jobs so want to come back. Some were in uni. Some had high risk Pregnancies. There’s lots of reasons they didn’t come back in March.
No expats should be allowed back on island until all Caymanians are back home as first priority.
It’s not rocket science. If the facilities are full then they should only be full of Caymanians.
There should be a waiting list for expats to return and they should not be allowed back on island or book flights until the facilities are not full of Caymanians.
Our country men come first period.
This is absolutely factual. So the one thumbs down is either a mistake or an Aldenite.
Does anyone know if the Cayman Islands will get in on the vaccine order that the UK has signed with Astra-Zeneka? (The order was placed for Astra Zeneca to deliver to the UK millions of does of the vaccine by the end of this year, based on the assumption that the vaccine being tested will prove to work.)
Well Trump is preparing his military for mass vaccinations, why should we be any different?
3:43 pm: never trust anything that Trump says or does.
This government isn’t interested in moving forward. Too cowardly to act or too busy enjoying the power.
4:01 please shut up with your unnecessary vitriol.
I would say it was pretty much justified opinion. Not vitriol.
That’s your counter point? I must be onto something.
There would first need to be a variety of real-world clinical development milestones achieved before our government (or any other) got involved. Things like: a completed Jenner Institute human trial, with some kind of measurable success, data submitted for peer review, research published, vaccine approval, and then, finally, AZ production scaled-up to be able to place an order, to be able to move forward. Our government or any other. Sit down and grab a magazine, it might be awhile.
Who cares!
its 50/50 if it will work and be safe.
Would you stick it in your child’s arm?
Vaccines take years to make and confirm they are safe I would not have it for a few years.
There are at least 19 vaccines being tested presently. I don’t think they have any idea if even one will work. We will have to wait and see, might be a couple of years down the road before we have a safe, tested, effective vaccine… if we ever get one at all.
Vaccine expected by fall this year.
Or we could be patient and see if it works first?
Our governor acknowledged keen awareness of Oxford University’s Jenner Institute Phase II/III UK trial of AZD1222 at previous press conferences, and how the UK seems to be at the forefront of vaccine research which stands us in good position for vaccine when/if available. Right now there are 320 humans that have been trialed out of potentially 10,000 adult volunteers. So far so good, but there we are a ways off from published trial results, let alone an approved vaccine product for AstraZeneca to scale up to production and distribute – despite all news stories inferring the opposite.
With the dramatic rise in cases in both Florida and Texas the past week, no one should be allowed to come in from those places. However, in New Jersey and New York State everything seems to be under control there because of social distancing and face mask wearing, so perhaps we should only look at people coming in from the Northeastern U.S.
Florida and Texas are in for a long haul out of their health situation as the majority of people are not being serious enough about what they need to do.
21,500,000 people live in Florida. Their per capita cases are 0.33%. Ours is close behind at 0.29%. You’ve written the same post several times. Please stop the scaremongering.
12:23, Like President Trump you just don’t get it. Believe the doctors and scientists and simply follow the American Centre For Disease Control Guidlines which Trump just ignores.
Having lost 3 acquaintances in the NYC area the last 4 months can assure you I am not scaremongering.
Sorry for the loss of acquaintances. Were they all young and in good shape? I only ask because you provided no context. I have family and friends of all ages in New York, Toronto, U.K. Florida, and amazingly have lost no one to Covid. That is not to say I haven’t lost someone during this period. I just am not allowed to attend their funerals.
The 3 acquaintances were males, all in their early 50’s, no known underlying conditions, 2 African Americans and 1 Caucasian. They were fathers of my 18 year old son’s friends.
So in one high school, 3 fathers of children have been lost in a 2 month period.
Sorry to hear that. Were they meticulous in wearing masks, observing social distancing etc?
Beijing has shut down parts of the city. Cases are on the rise in several US states. Trump is asking attendees to his public meetings to sign waivers. It’s not over yet.
Sad you lost friends but the fact is maths does not lie and the figures are correct.
People die that is life. If we had a daily count of the deaths from Cancer or AIDS we would be shocked every day.
More tests more results. It’s ironic how Aldenites hate Trump yet the two men have so much in common. Alden doesn’t come across as crude but I’m not aware of Trump being accused of physically assaulting a political opponent. Or was the Elio Solomon incident a lie?
What is concerning is that in Florida they are nowhere near to flattening the curve. In fact, the exact opposite.
It depends what part of Florida and who. I have a friend who lives in Florida and hasn’t been out in the community since this started – has all food delivered. Why should she not travel?
not true!
Your statement is accurate.
https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/us-map
Big Beau, The stats for Florida, Texas and Arizona are startling. Believe the hole is getting deeper. At least Northeast U.S. is seeing progress.
Yeah, No need to social distance and wear a mask in Florida because there is no problem really. Continue as normal. You obviously have learned nothing since late January.
You have taken the exact same position Boris Johnson took in the UK in February with disastrous consequences.
It’s hard for Lodge when they get behind a keyboard.
3:44, Really need to get mental help on your Lodge paranoia.
America has 320 million people. The way things are going if coronavirus deaths keep going up at the current rate in America we will have more than a million deaths in a year. Using your rational 12:23, do you think I am scaremongering?
Perhaps over a million deaths in a year don’t mean that much to you.
So 12:23, you are telling me that I should not be concerned about 3,000 deaths in Florida due to the coronavirus in the past 4 months and an 18% increase in cases since June 7th?
On top of that 120,000 coronavirus deaths in America in 4 months.
I am concerned.
There needs to be a balance. It also appears that persons travelling from the uk are being given priority. If we have 110 in the us waiting to come back why are we only taking the 69 from the uk?
Because British airways is bringing in equipment (testing equipment/PEP swabs etc). Plus the Cayman Airways staff do not want to be quarantined for 14 days bringing in people from the USA.
So STOP using Cayman Airways and use a Charter from the USA and Take people back.
WOW that would be hard to work out NOT.
Why would they stop using their national flag carrier? Smh
So if you take Europe combined has 500 million and how many cases per capita… Or UK…who had the highest per captia
You know anyone in the US can get from Florida to the north east in 4 hours, right? Not sure you’ve thought this through.
For those of you that never truly enjoyed living under socialist regimes, where The-Collective-Good come before all else and individual rights…
You just lived the past three months under such a regime…
How would you like to just keep this up going forward?
This about that when you hear those false economists (From bankrupted countries) on the radio advocating income and property taxes in Cayman for the collective good.
Give us all a break 11:15. Bet you would love to live under a fascist regime.
They are exactly the same. Both are total oppression by harsh government.
There’s that thing in the middle of those two called a democracy – ever heard of it?
Yeah democracy. Hillary got 3 million more votes than Trump in 2016. Got to love democracy. A joke in America at the Federal level.
Lol…obsessed.
i remember the good ol days of the national socialist party.
11:15, The major problem in the USA is that 50 flowers are blooming. Every state is doing its own thing and now we have total health chaos because buffoon Trump allowed every state to do its own thing 4 months ago. Individual state rights and human rights ruled. The collective good / health of Americans should have been the priority as we have seen with success in Germany, Australia, New Zealand and Canada.
This situation has nothing to do with socialism or any other ism but basic common sense for the greater good. Whether we like it or not we are all in this health crisis together. No individual is immune.
Best comment so far. But in my opinion, “human rights” include protection from this virus by competent governmental and health agencies.
Here is the live video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sCmKw-Zqbj0
LOL!
Crazy. Just bonkers. Test negative today, but could be positive tomorrow.
None if this makes sense anymore.
What good is a 24 hour test anyway? This is lunacy.
Locals please come home and we will pay for you. Expats if you come back you have to pay first then let us take care of you our way so please don’t. We get it. Wife and Son left 6 weeks ago and we just bought a house. I will leave as soon as I can get this house ready for the Hurricane that’s coming and take the cats with me. I am sure that makes many Caymanians happy. We will return when the anti expat thing has run its course and you need us and are not scared of us again. Until then good luck. Really.
Lol, you certainly think a lot of yourself. Who is afraid of expats? I don’t know a single Caymanian who is afraid of any of you.
No need for you and yours to return. The same way you lot run away instead for staying to be part of the solution speaks volumes about your intentions. Buying a house doesn’t make you part of the community nor does it make you valuable.
You won’t be missed or needed so when you go, keep going. Safe travels
I didn’t run here and I am not running back. Most expats use the world we live in to make their dreams come true. We have and still do. Caymanians like you use the island to hide from a world you do not understand or trust. We get it. You barely survive here. I hear you yelling at me from under your rock. Fearful and confused. Don’t worry. when you need our help we will be back.
Ah, so you are one of those typical expats that hates Caymanians and expects them to bow down to you. Acting as if they are lower than you. Just remember you came to my country, not the other way around. I’ll happily keep “my rock” that you and your family somehow found your way too.
Who is hiding away? I am well travelled and educated. I simply have a love for my beautiful home and respect for my people. Obviously you know nothing of Cayman, our people, and our history. Where was it indicated that I am barely surviving? Word of advise, don’t discuss things you do not know or understand.
Rest assured, you have never and will never be needed. Don’t let the door hit you on your way out.
Palm Heights? Seriously? At cost? To whom? The lowest rates begin at over $500 per night. You could pay someone a fraction of that to check on returning residents quarantining at home and use the money to help other people suffering!!
I think you’re confusing “lowest rates” and cost. How dare you think of spending money employing individuals when they’re making sacrifices for the whole country.
If you have the virus you can self quarantine on island in your home with no functional oversight but if you return you must be put in a government room and take government meals for two weeks and you pay for it even if you don’t have the virus, you have a nice house on island if your an expat. Two things: The self quarantine is not working as many who have caught the virus did so by contact with people who are in self quarantine. That is a fact. That and there is no evidence that Cayman has its own special strain just for Caymanians. People have come back with the virus and have had no symptoms. This is fraud. This is anti expat crap.This is racism. And the results as usual will be felt in the future. As ALL the money in Cayman comes from overseas having an anti overseas agenda is just shooting ourselves in the foot. But then that is what we are known for isn’t it. Expats are leaving and not planning on coming back until the anti expat quarantine is expired. Big win for the expat haters. Big lose for the ones who depend on expat money. Which is everybody on this island. Especially CIG.
The Government’s justification: “…but government has not yet found a more satisfactory way of cutting the very real risk of introducing a more virulent strain of the virus and undermining the massive effort and sacrifice here to contain it and keep people safe.”
So with that logic if they want to avoid more virulent strains being introduced we will stay locked down externally for a very very very long time.
Meanwhile the Bahamas is open to tourists, let alone returning citizens/residents, from 1 July…..what are they and other islands doing, or what reasoned risk-balanced positions are they adopting, that Cayman isn’t or doesn’t appear to want to adopt?
Totally unsustainable and illogical from Gov’t, again.
Introduce on the spot testing for arrivals, testing with short wait times – its all available, and get the island going again. A blanket Gov’t controlled quarantine is just not feasible for any further length of time, let alone its not supported by the majority of people on island. If it was self-quarantine, then they would have more support, but they simply do not trust the public, so they continue to impinge on our rights, what other explanation is there…
None of this matters if we don’t keep an eye on our country. Dart is using the pandemic to buy everything , now it’s 35 floor towers next to Wendy’s. You’ve got to kick this government out before your west bay road is full of oversized and empty towers and we’re a one mans vision of white power in the Caribbean,. If you don’t believe just demand an FOI on Alden and anyone in planning…it’s happening. Cayman is done and dusted and it’s been hiding in plain sight
“…..if there was a better option”. Here it is:
Instead of the government paying around $3,000 each for two weeks of quarantine, they could use that money and temporarily hire unemployed Caymanians to function as monitors, and allow returnees to self-isolate at home. The monitors would, twice a day on an unannounced and random basis, check in with isolators (and document compliance), and also bring them any necessary supplies, food etc and ensure they are doing ok or need support.
A monitor could be responsible for, say, 8 to 10 people. Right now, 10 people over two weeks of hotel quarantine is about $30,000. Instead, can pay a monitor $3,000 for two weeks of employment to undertake this.
Benefits: 1) saves the government a lot of money, 2) provides income to temporarily unemployed, and 3) returnees can isolate at home, rather that being stuck in a hotel room 23 hours a day, which is functionally equivalent to imprisonment.
Isnt this a more rational and sustainable common sense solution?
Far to sensible.
There are some religious groups that will check on houses for free. May even get some converts in these Biblical times.
It’s a good idea but the government is completely unable to think outside of the box so it will be rejected by them as unworkable before they have really thought it through.
They are all suffering from the “not invented here” syndrome. If they didn’t come up with the idea then they won’t do it.
It must take a massive amount of resources for persons quarantined in their homes to hand all car keys to the police for two weeks.
Doesn’t government have the ability to track license plates?
I wish they’d put those on the marl trucks, along with emissions testers and noise control.
Only if the car has the new license plates, but since most people have been waiting 2+ years for their’s chances are, no they can’t
“McLaughlin dismissed the idea of using electronic monitoring as it requires infrastructure that Cayman does not have and it would take time and money to do it.”
Putting aside the obvious futility of the scheme as a whole, a better question for Mclaughlin is, how much does it cost every resident of Cayman to not have a smart approach?
The gov is bailing the ship with a teacup and we have 10 foot hole in the hull.
Haven’t dozens of location monitoring apps been developed?
Don’t other countries use these with random telephone calls to identify yourself and spot physical checks to ensure compliance with an isolation order. Most people would happily comply anyway and there could be stiff fines for those who don’t.
The CIG and Dr. Lee have lost the plot.
Like his response to Ralph on farming, his response is outdated and ill-informed. Electronic tags are being used elsewhere with great success and little expense compared to the cost of manual monitoring and forced confinement.
Okay here are some options to consider:
1. Little Cayman – make deal with LC Beach Resort, Paradise Villas, Southern Cross, Pirates Point, etc
2. Cayman Brac – make deal with the Alexander Hotel or Brac Beach resort
3. Grand Cayman – what about the timeshares out in East End.
4. Cayman Brac again – what about the building next to the field on bluff? Can also house some people in the house just like government does with Cuban refugees.
5. Have Alden say something to tick off President Trump – then those 110 Caymanians will immediately be sent home and then what? Doubt this can happen – well just have to look at one of our neighbouring countries.
Signed,
Mo$e$ – Trump wannabe
I have heard that there are many people returning from Miami, after minor medical procedures or check-ups, that are being allowed to quarantine at home. These people are mixing with the public, staying at hotels and having a good old time, and then coming back to Cayman with no quarantine. How is that being allowed??
IF your statement is try please provide proof.
Please send it out to all of us.
You got your answer. None. It’s posters like these that are creating havoc for persons stuck abroad. Lies, lies, lies.
If getting Caymanians home was truly a priority he’d let them self isolate. I’m pretty sure by now everyone knows there is a global pandemic and that the world has changed. Mindsets have changed since March Mr. Premier. Have some respect for your fellow Caymanians!
Do the tests not work at the airport? What’s the point of having tests if they are not used?
There’s another way to look at this. If the premise is it’s too risky to bring a Caymanian in from Miami because of the virus numbers in the US isn’t our Premier saying Caymanians in Miami are expendable?
This government has no faith in and doesn’t trust its people, treating them like children…
We’re in our 70’s and had to leave the island on April 8th on the first London bridge flight,
as both my wife and I have advanced cancer that required immediate intervention… After being cooped up for 2 months in a hospital in Germany – as Cayman integrative healthcare sucks and is too expensive – we’re now told that upon our return, we must go into a government quarantine, instead of doing it in our own very suitable home at our own cost….
Yet, people who have the virus are allowed to stay at home: what is the logic in that??…
This government – through many stupid decisions – is acting as if drunk on its own power and doesn’t trust its own people: Why should they be trusted with another term?… When voting time comes, I hope they all get booted out, as I won’t make the same mistake twice….
What is happening with the Miami flights? We need to put on at least two or three flights a week starting late July and early August. Universities in the States start early August? There are lots of students some of them for the first time that need to get to university in the States. It is stupid to wait until the last minute and give everyone 3 or 4 days to pack up and get on the flights. Parents need to plan for their children.
11:58, You do realize that over the past week there have been a record number of coronavirus cases in Florida? The Trumpite Governor has been totally ignoring CDC Guidelines and now Florida, similar to Texas, is paying the price with cases starting to overwhelm the health care system.
No flights from Florida until they get their health act in order like New Jersey and New York State did. Universities in Florida will be going everything remotely starting in September.
My friend is an advisor at a college in Florida and she is going back to work end of July. She has been remote since March.
Going back to work with a record number of new cases the past few days.
Not smart, but it is Floriduh.
Since June 6th coronavirus cases are up by 17% in Florida. Nobody should be allowed into Cayman from Florida until the numbers start going down there like in New York State and New Jersey. Foolish for people here wanting to go to Florida now for anything, especially if they are over 60 years old. Hospitals are filling up fast there now.
@12:56pm Sorry your analysis is so basic to ignore this, but testing is up by 63% and cases are only up by 17%. I’ve brought you this far…
The 19 permit holders should have not have priority over Caymanians. I am not sure why we keep trying to make ourselves look good by giving the other British territories freebees. Why are we chartering BA to take people to Turks and Caicos when those seats could be utilized by our own people.
Are these new permit holders or people that were here and went home for a holiday jaunt? This is not fair to Caymanians that want to get home.
Who says they had priority over Caymanians?
I understand there are existing work permit holders who were visiting family or on holiday when the borders closed and were not until very recently, permitted to return. They or their employers are paying for the air fare and isolation fees. Perhaps it is them?
Those work permits are the only money CIG has coming in.
Remember that the Cayman wallet is in the UK’s purse. Motherland before all else.
There are many highly competent Caymanians out of work. Let people hire them to monitor that they remain in home quarantine. These monitors could be paid an equivalent amount, or slightly less,than the hotel costs. They could assist in grocery and pharmacy needs.
This is a win/win. Makes returning people happy to be in their homes and gives a good income to locals.
People in isolation should wear tags. One person monitors remotely, teams available to intercept in each district if they leave their homes. Just for isolation, this is a great solution and the equipment can be sanitized, reset and used again. It’s being done elsewhere. It’s just that when you have the same stakeholders having the say over our futures, you’re not going to see any innovative solutions.
What he’s saying is he’s the only Caymanian who loves Cayman. He does not have to police those of us who need to return to our homes and self isolate. We love our country too. So much so, we will not be voting for this egomaniac again.
I’m aware of Caymanians who have to go, or have gone to Miami, for medical treatment. Cancer patients, etc. These Caymanians, who we claim to care for so much, are being told they can go, but can’t come back. How is this humane to our own people? Is it because they have real illnesses as opposed to potential Covid they are deemed expendable? Alden do you not care about these people? Do we have to wait for one of your family members to need to travel for medical reasons and then be quarantined? Or will they be treated differently?
Antigua is opened for visitors and they will be testing persons as they come in. Most likely they will have a holding area until results are in. If someone is positive, only then they will be isolated.
We have to first move from dictatorship to third world. Then we can move back to our pre February place in the Caribbean.
I agree with you and they claim uk send them a machine that can test people and give them results in 45 minutes….what are doing with the equipment.
But you can be infected but not yet shedding the virus, so a negative on arrival does not mean you do not have the virus. The 2 weeks is to give the virus time to show itself. Ideally everyone would be tested daily, but we can’t do that many tests every day,
He’s lying. The U.K. is much worse than the U.S. and the U.S is much worse than Canada. Yet Caymanians in the U. S and Canada are being told there is no space in the quarantine facilities. So the worst country, the U.K. gets priority!
Well that is the Mother Country…
So it’s a matter or relationship and not risk then?
Mother’s count.
Well why not follow through with your condescending remark and follow the U.K. with home isolation? After all, “Mothers know best.”
an dats y i luv my UK passport, I love the UK like i love my UB40. Bostin.
Bullshit.
There are many people who will pay whatever it costs – and employment and government revenue will be created. If the public’s safety can be assured, why not just do it?
Testing at the border! Allow persons to be monitored and socially isolate at home if positive under the same protocols as local positives! It is just false to pretend that there isn’t a better solution: we have the tests and a better means to deal with this issue, and we know it is being used successfully in many other places: Austria, Greece, Alaska to name a few.
Can test upon landing. Wait at airport for results. Negatives can quarantine at home for two weeks. Positives can quarantine in government facilities. Hefty penalties for violators. Caymanians do not want to come home to spread the virus. What this government is saying loud and clear is that Caymanians are completely untrustworthy and unpatriotic. Let us come home!
And then a week later they go down with symptoms. Yes. Makes sense!
I think this is a wise decision. Whatever strain we have locally seems to be fairly benign. It is difficult to continue with our borders closed, but some economic activity is better than none. My business relies heavily on tourists, so I want stay overs asap. But not if it means going back to lockdown. I don’t know about anyone else, but I cannot do that again.
Same strain as the rest of the Caribbean – minimal in numbers.
He talks such rubbish.
My family went overseas due to a family death. Prior quarantine rules.
It is now going to cost me $10,000 plus airfares to return. Yes I am on a work permit. There is quite clearly an agenda by this ramshackle gov.
Well whatever agenda, it appears to be working. No government ever had an agenda to benefit the people.