Isolation trial begins as new COVID-19 case emerges
(CNS): From 395 tests carried over the last day, one positive case of COVID-19 emerged in an asymptomatic traveller in quarantine, Chief Medical Officer Dr John Lee revealed Friday. None of the first 29 people taking part in the home-isolation pilot programme who were tested on arrival from the British Airways flight yesterday were positive. Dr Lee said things went well with the trial airport PCR testing but it revealed a need to keep up staff training.
Speaking at the COVID-19 update briefing, the CMO explained that, given how contagious this coronavirus is, infection prevention and control is paramount. He said he believed that there were lessons to be learned from the process last night and the teams involved would be going through a debriefing process on Monday.
“It was a big day yesterday,” he said regarding the first go-around of the test. “Infection prevention and control is absolutely paramount… Because this disease is so highly infectious, it’s the key to success. One of the things I noticed yesterday is that we need to continue our training of everybody that’s involved in this process to make sure they understand how to protect themselves and how to protect other people from the transmission of this virus… there are certainly a lot of lessons to be learned from yesterday… in order to improve.”
Dr Lee noted that Cayman is able to turn around PCR testing very quickly, there is no need to acquire any of the new rapid test kits. He had all of the test results for those in this pilot by yesterday evening.
Those taking part taken in the new home-isolation were taken in their household groups by taxi to their locations, where the geofencing parameters were set on their wristbands by the new team of mobile compliance officers.
These 29 people will now stay locked down for 14 days, after which they will be retested and cleared to resume normal life if they are negative or locked down for several more days if they test positive.
In the meantime they will be watched over by the monitoring team under the Department of Safety and Communications. Dr Tasha Garcia-Ebanks, who is heading up the monitoring team, explained that there are currently eight people on shifts monitoring the households 24 hours a day, seven days a week, via technology and random checks, to ensure that they are sticking to the isolation rules and that they are getting the support they need.
Should any of the individuals breach the parameters or if visitors are permitted at the homes, the police will be called. In addition to potential fines or even imprisonment, the individuals will be taken to government mandated quarantine for round-the-clock supervised lockdown. But Dr Garcia-Ebanks noted the need to help and support returning travellers to get through the isolation period so that they will not need to break the rules.
During this test run other government employees will be trying out the wristsbands and running various tests on the security and alert system. Dr Garcia-Ebanks said that the aim over the next two weeks is to work out exactly what resources will be needed to manage larger numbers of people, and the monitoring team will be expected to grow.
Cayman has 200 test wristbands ready for use and another 1,000 have arrived in preparation for 1 October. While the first arrivals on the test run were not charged for the quarantine process, when the border opens on 1 October travellers are likely to be charged around $200 for the entire isolation protocol.
Check back to CNS for more on government’s line of credit, constitutional change and potential resort bubbles next week.
See the COVID-19 update press briefing on CIGTV below:
Category: Health, Medical Health
Why are we opening our borders when usa and all of Europe is surging out of control
Calm down. Nothing is “surging” or “raging”. Almost all of the world is living and working through all of this just fine.
The trial set up is great and every precaution seems to be covered. The problem however is stupid people unfortunately so just wait.
Let’s wait until the passengers start arriving from Jamaica….
Are you sure they aren’t already arriving?
And then what?
I think it must be realized that Covid-19 is here to stay throughout the world. The CIG made a valid attempt to isolate the island but now it is looking like this has all been a waste of time unless Cayman continues to close its borders long-term.
Economies have been destroyed and countries have got to accept that a portion of its population will die from the virus. Can Cayman really continue to shelter everyone on island at the cost of CI$25m per month?
I can understand why persons who owns properties in Cayman are longing to come back but each one should realise that they must comply with the rules and guideline to get here and to live here safely without the risk of spreading this virus to those of us who reside here permanently. Our government/ health care professionals/ residents did a fantastic job in keeping the numbers down and I thank them. I realise that there will be more people traveling to and from here in the near future but I hope that does not mean that the flood gates will be thrown open. One reason why other countries have been struggling is because so many of the residents are careless and believe it is an infringement on their liberties to move around and do as they please. We too on this 2×4 Rock have had to change our way of life and I believe most of us saw the benefits of obeying the laws and following the guidelines and we gladly did it. We did not go through our lockdown for someone who is now homesick for their condo to come in without any restrictions placed on them They should think more about the people of the Cayman Islands than their selfishness. I am not naive about this, I know one day we must get back to a more normal way of live but it must be a new normal and anyone who cannot handle that should really reflect on what matters more in this fragile life. Kicking and screaming won’t change anything. “We are all in this together”
1:32 Could not have said it better myself! It is crazy that anyone would dislike your comment.
The quality and scope of the questions that are asked during the briefings are woefully inadequate. The public is not being adequately served or informed by the current format of the briefings.
Prior to the thursday, some arrivals were allowed to isolate at home because of a medical condition.
However, they were allowed to leave the airport without being tested. And were apparently not monitored during their self-isolation.
How was this allowed to happen? Did the authorities monitor them during their self-isolation? Were they tested at all?
How could this happen??? Why are heads not rolling?
Calm down! Most people are responsible and they where people with medical condition….You do realise if they had been in hospital in the USA and came back the where tested as there as well.
I’m in one of the government quarantine facilities. There is no evidence that the virus circulates in airplanes yet our stewardesses wear the equivalent of hazmat suits. There is social distancing (which is important) on Cayman Airways once seated. But not when boarding, departing or on the bus. There is little evidence that asymptomatic persons spread the virus. Even our good doctor stated the traveler who tested positive and released in error was not a concern. Our strict policies are based on unsubstantiated fear based beliefs. Meanwhile, each day I’m served meals in plastic containers, plastic knives and forks. This all goes into a plastic bag to end up in the dump. Perhaps we should ask John Hopkins to use the wrist bands track the affects of our dump on our health. Only then will our government realize it might be something we should give our attention to.
There is plenty of evidence of transmission on airplanes.
Yes. And there is much more evidence of no transmission while flying. So long as people distance, wear a mask and use sanitizer you will be okay.
BTW if a fatal accident happens on the road should we close it?
Are car accidents highly contagious? An Idiot Strawman comment if there was ever one.
No, you don’t get it. The point is that there is some risk in everything we do. Accept it and move on. And your comment, with insulting language will convince no one of anything beneficial.
No, accidents are not contagious. But they do account for 200% more deaths.
11:09 Where are you getting your information from? I have seen much evidence to the contrary. As 5:45 said, there is a lot of evidence that there is transmission on airplanes and quite frankly, the fact that you think there isn’t is absurd.
Commercial airplanes are equipped with HEPA filters, the CDC recommended air filters used in hospital isolation rooms. HEPA filters capture 99.97% of airborne particles and substantially reduce the risk of viral spread. In addition, the air in plane cabins is completely changed over 10 to 12 times per hour raising the air quality above that of a normal building. The greatest risk is sitting next to someone who is infected. Solution, to minimize risk, test before flying. It’s said the odd is catching Covid on a flight and dying, one in 1,500,000. The risk of getting struck by lightning 1 in 700,000. Over to you 5:45 and 4:49.
Simple. It is based on number of people flying compared to number of cases traced back to flights. Less than 1/10th of 1%.
Can you and 5:45 now enlighten us with the basis for your assertions and statement “I have seen much evidence to the contrary”. Thought not. Talk about who’s absurd.
Really? So why does only 1 of 300 that fly here test positive? What more likely, they got it prior to flying, or during flying?
Read the press. Formal studies are now being published. 15 caught it on a single flight – belied is that restroom was likely point of transmission for most.
And what about the other thousands of of flights per day?
9:08.
Flight attendant dressed as if they remediate Chernobyl? Really? WOW! It really demonstrates a different level of insanity.
No arguments can convince CIG that there’s no pandemic. They really like to play Covid19 game, spending more money on absolutely unnecessary measures and exercise absolute controls. It has got to the point of absurd. Killing a fly with a sledgehammer.
In the press briefing mention was made of an errant visitor who managed to get on the BA flight without pre-approval from Travel Time, and that he was repatriated on Friday morning on BA.
The BA flight only left Friday evening so how this be?
Was the visitor tested 3 days before travel and also upon arrival In Cayman. Where did he sit on the BA flight and what measures were taken to ensure the safety of other passengers?
This person is still around.
This person is a dependant of a PR.
The question is, how did he/she get on the plane to begin with?
https://www.caymancompass.com/2020/09/18/unauthorised-arrival-allowed-to-stay/
Ummm, not so easy. If they are an approved dependent, they would have PR. If they had no permission themselves, they would be a visitor.. which is it?
no need to pre test its not required!
The visitor did not make travel arrangements through travel time and their testing status is unknown due to that fact. It’s baffling how they were able to board the BA flight without that approval. They were due to return to the UK on the Friday night flight but it was revealed at the last minute that they are a “dependent “ of a permanent resident here so somehow that afforded the right to them to stay. The deportation was then cancelled. They are currently in government quarantine. Lots of questions in this process, very little answers.
They are a resident….They have a right to come home to their family its a as simple as that!
Not without going through the process.
You are 100% correct. But those simply aren’t the rules our government has laid out.
We Are now inviting this to our island to make people sick and kill our elderly family members in the name of money and profit. Wow
Are you sure they aren’t already arriving?
A simple mathematical mistake may explain why many people underestimate the dangers of coronavirus.
Surely you overestimate.
So simple, you can’t explain it?