Premier: New virus strains ‘changing game’
(CNS): Premier Alden McLaughlin has warned that the borders of the Cayman Islands may not be opening next month, as previously indicated, because the spread of more infections strains of the coronavirus have “changed the game completely”. As the scientists are raising concerns that the vaccines may not protect against all of the new strains, McLaughlin warned that he could no longer be confident that Cayman’s tourism sector would rebound in March.
In an address at the Chamber of Commerce annual general meeting on Thursday, McLaughlin patted himself and his government on the back regarding the handling of the health crisis, and pointed to various grounds for optimism in comparison to other countries. But he said public safety would continue to dominate decisions about the border, as he implied he was no longer confident of opening them at the end of next month.
“With the arrival of new COVID-19 strains and concerns over how much protection the current vaccines will offer against these new variants, it has become increasingly challenging to develop a firm timetable to get the Cayman tourism economy up and running again,” he said.
He said that countries in the region that opened their borders early on in the pandemic, such as Bermuda and Barbados, have found that “the risks of opening too soon may have negative consequences for the health of both the people and the economy if community spread restarts, forcing renewed restrictions and lock-downs”.
McLaughlin said that while he hoped tourism would be back to near normal by high season, today’s plans must be flexible. “Circumstances are changing so quickly that it is unwise to think we can predict how things will be even just weeks into the future,” he added.
Barbados will be re-entering a lockdown on Wednesday this week because community spread of one of the new more infectious variants has been detected there. Keen to avoid the same fate for Cayman, the premier made it clear that public health was still at the centre of decision-making.
“We have come too far and we have borne too much to risk allowing the virus, in whatever form it takes, to re-enter our community and to rip across our islands,” he told the business audience. “Government must continue as best we can to balance the risks and make well-informed judgements about the future pace of re-opening.”
With concerns over the new strains being detected in travellers coming to Cayman, he said government must reassess and was awaiting updated information on the current vaccination programme and the situation with COVID-19. He said this included discussions about the new strains and the impact these have on plans to reopen the border.
“Whilst we need to consider how best to further open up, any decisions taken will be done with safety and public health as a major consideration,” he said. “We remain committed to finding a way to re-opening safely despite the new challenges that seem to be changing weekly.”
Although optimistic about a gradual return to normal by high season towards the end of this year, he warned that cruise tourism prospects were not good. “It is doubtful to the extreme that we will see cruise tourism start this year, based on the challenges that I believe the cruise sector will be facing,” the premier added.
McLaughlin pointed out that, while the country inches towards re-opening the tourism product, the financial services industry was “in good health”.
He said the reforms put in place and engagement by the government had resulted in the Cayman Islands being removed from the European Union blacklist, mentioning only in passing the very real threat that Cayman will soon be on a new EU blacklist.
Thanking the UK for fulfilling its promises to supply the vaccine to the British Overseas Territories, he said it provided hope for respite in this crisis. If enough people take the vaccination, the population will have a great deal of protection and Cayman will not see the ravages that have unfortunately affected many other places, he said.
Category: Business, Local News, Tourism
This article from today’s Guardian Coronavirus Live update section is an example of why extreme caution is needed when re-opening our borders –
“Cuba managed to contain the virus last year, boasting case rates that were well below average, but it has experienced a surge since the country’s airports began reopening in November. More than 15,000 cases were reported in January, nearly 50% of them in Havana and around five times the monthly figures last year.
The government said a majority of the cases were linked to travellers breaking quarantine, mainly Cubans living abroad. Authorities shuttered schools and dining in Havana and other parts of the country last month and imposed restrictions on flights and travellers to try to stop the spread of the virus.”
It seem that cayman changed the pre flights testing which allowed people infected to land here. Those who made that decision need to explain themselves.
Here we go again.
Alden: The border closures are unsustainable.
Also Alden: We have no plan to open if we don’t feel an arbitrary level of safety.
People will need to quarantine until 90% of over 60 are vaccinated. What if that doesn’t happen? The island stays closed forever and continue with that covid free status. Who will care? Can’t imagine many families will quarantine for 15 days before a holiday. Good luck with that.
Can someone explain why Influenza deaths are somehow less important than Covid-19 deaths?
The 650,000+ people worldwide that die from Influenza must clearly be less valuable than people who die from Covid-19.
Why are we not shutting down world economies for the 650,000 plus people that die EVERY YEAR from influenza?
We not as much as worn masks for influenza in the past.
Could it be because if we shutdown world economies for influenza every year, there would be no more economies?
CNS: Over the past year there have been 2.276 million covid deaths worldwide, according to John Hopkins University, which would have been much higher if most countries had not implemented some form of lockdown. So the scale is not the same, not even close, and this is not the flu. One obvious and glaring difference is that it spreads much more easily, and the new strains spread more easily still.
There are spikes some years in the cases and deaths of flu, but nothing even close to what the world has witnessed over the past year. Generally health systems are able to predict roughly how many flu cases they will have to deal with and they know how to deal with them. The overwhelming number of covid cases in the hospitals in areas where there is a spike has exhausted staff to burnout levels as well as being well beyond what the physical resources are set up to cope with. Morgues and funeral homes have also been overwhelmed.
Scientists and health professionals are learning more and more about covid and how to prevent or treat it but the long term effects in patients that have had it are still unknown.
Many Asian countries coped much better with covid because their people had experienced much worse outbreaks of SARS and swine flu, so when their governments told them to wear masks and wash their hands, they did so. So hopefully, the West will be better prepared for the next outbreak.
It’s beyond absurd to believe that governments the world over have put such enormous strain on the own economies for no good reason, whatever the “experts” on YouTube say. This is not the flu.
Thank you CNS for your ongoing patient education of readers.
what they need to stop doing is making caymanians go away without a valid reason like schooling,medical reason, emergencies. (persons to have proof)
then having to pay quarantine in hotels for Caymanians to stay at (if its not a legitimate reason government should not pay)
alot of caymanians just going away just to shop, hop on a plane to say i got to go away.
COVID is not going anywhere for now, just open the place up.
stop giving people hope very month saying it will open or thinking of opening, people are getting frustrated.
Vaccinated or not still have to quarantine so whats the sense of this?
CANNOT KEEP THE ISLAND CLOSED FOREVER- alot of people need jobs and prices arent going down but up
Precisely. Not only is Covid-19 not going anywhere, it’s been around for decades if not longer. Covid-19 was just a new strain and there will be many more strains.
A study from the University of Aberdeen has found the following and supports the government’s very cautious approach to border reopening:
“A new study comparing countries most severely hit by COVID-19 during the first wave of the pandemic has found that international travel showed the biggest impact on increases in death rates.”
https://www.abdn.ac.uk/news/14653/
One of the study’s authors Tiberiu Pana, is also reported as saying:
“Our assessment of available data indicates that very early restrictions on international travel might have made a difference in the spread of pandemic in western Europe, including the UK.
These findings are particularly important as the world looks to control future waves and strains of the Covid-19 pandemic and prevent related deaths.”
One who believes in that is delusional. In 2021 it is impossible to stop Virus spreading around the globe. Any virus! Times when people traveled on boats and horse drawn wagons are long gone.
Just like water always finds the lowest level, microscopic viruses in an incredibly efficient manners find its next host.
CNS: You need to read the comment more carefully because you have not understood it. The point the commenter was making is that the CIG did the right thing to halt the spread of the virus here, which they and many other governments made clear was done to prevent catastrophe while the scientific community developed vaccines and therapeutics. It may not ever be gone completely but the world will have the tools to fight it. That’s not delusional.
Consider this Anon:
We have managed to skip our cold and flu season this year. Can you guess why? Those viruses don’t just spring up, they are spread by people. No virus spread equals no flu season.
Still think it is impossible to stop spread, or is it just too inconvenient?
There is a message on CNN this morning regarding the variants that supports the government’s position –
“Health authorities are still learning about the new coronavirus variants, and whether current health measures are as effective against them — but data suggests that the B.1.1.7 variant, first identified in the UK, may be deadlier than the original strand.
“We know that some of the variants have increased transmissibility, there’s increasing data that suggests that some of the variants, the B.1.1.7 variant may actually … lead to increased mortality, and the jury’s still out with regard to how these vaccines are going to work with against these variants,” said Dr. Rochelle Walensky, director of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, on MSNBC Wednesday.”
Alden doesn’t need to pat himself on the back, You would be surprised to find out how many people are happy with how he is handling the Covid 19 situation. Unfortunately, only the negative people are making comments on social media.
He can’t keep Cayman in a bubble forever, unless money grows on trees here. He violates rights of people with other disorders who can’t get treatments. He is creating mental health crisis.
8:37 Anyone with a legitimate health issue can go away for treatment, I know several abroad seeking treatment. So stop spreading false information. The only mental health crisis occurring is with dingbats like you who cannot fathom anything beyond your own selfishness.
12.51am We all know it’s not Alden – the mastermind behind this careful planning is not him or Dr Lee, but the man charged (and compensated for) with the overall responsibility for the health of our people. But he does need to stick to Queen’s English and drop all the foreign languages.
We need the rest of our pensions!!! Going out of business shortly
Has anyone else noticed that not one of the declared or potential candidates in the May election has openly called for the unqualified opening of the borders and to hell with the consequences, or even declared that science should be ignored in decisions regarding reopening the borders? That silence speaks volumes and gives me some comfort that Cayman is not about to become the next Covid calamity.
No politician or wannabe politician hoping to get elected in May would be so stupid as to call for opening our borders before it is safe to do so based on scientific and medical advice.
Florida Governor treats people as adults and let them decide on what to do.
CNS: Again (sigh), the measures put in place are to protect other people – masks, hygiene, social distancing, not gathering in large crowds, travelling, hanging out in bars, etc. The Florida governor is not treating people like adults. Responsible adults would not object to doing these things. He is pandering to the selfish idiots who listen to garbage about how it’s their right to spread the virus and put other people at risk.
Thank you CNS
The Bahamas, for example, allow tourism so long as the tourist provides proof of a negative Covid test in addition to an on-island covid test on day five of vacation. The Bahamas has little to no Covid cases. There is a way to fully re-open the border safely and not kill businesses in the meantime.
The Bahamas also found that 46% of tourists did not show up for the 5-day test.
http://www.tribune242.com/news/2021/jan/08/21000-travellers-havent-taken-rapid-antigen-test-a/?news
Yes, the number of cases are falling in the Bahamas, but they have poor measures in place and no vaccine on order yet.
Numbers don’t lie. They are falling and have been kept under control. Again, there is a way to keep both people and business (relatively) healthy. Right now, people are healthy but businesses are sick. There needs to be a better balance.
Numbers don’t lie? Ha! You haven’t met my tax accountant. He’s worth his weight in gold!
The year is 2022. Many businesses have gone under due to border closure. In fact, many businesses have moved off the island to neighboring islands to re-open businesses where tourism is allowed. Good news, however, is there are only three new cases of Covid on Cayman!…
There are opinions and there are opinions. Quite frankly those who don’t like that the timelines for border opening has changed, why don’t you all get together and chart several planes and haul your arses to a destination of your choice. Seriously you have a right to your opinion but getting kinda tired of the same old complaints . I bet if you were living elsewhere right now you would wish to be hopefully not here.
I do not agree with everything the government does but I am very happy that the government is being led by science rather than the ‘let only the fittest survive’ and ‘Covid 19 is no worse than a cold’ though nonsense promoted by the vocal few.
Some people among that few also just do not get that being vaccinated does not prevent a person from being infected, carrying the virus into Cayman when they arrive or infecting others. Thankfully, those in power are not persuaded by those nonsensical reasoning of the poorly informed and those who just do not care about others.
There exists risk and reward when you step outside your front door each day. At this point in time, we are seeing accelerations in vaccinations and declining hospitalizations and new Covid cases each day, at least in the United States. Additionally, Caymanians continue to be vaccinated a daily basis. Several months from now, the outlook will be even brighter. Proof of completed vaccination should be all that is required from a traveler looking to spend a week or two in Grand Cayman, or the adjacent islands, sometime in the next few months, at most. The fact that there is no hard re-opening date is a travesty, not for travelers but for hard-working Caymanians involved in the sector that rely on the income to pay bills. This virus will continue to evolve, but if the smartest people in the world involved in vaccine research and creation are not currently working on an amended version given the new strains, that should be enough of a tell that current Moderna, Pfizer, et all vaccines should work against the new strains. Keeping borders closed beyond spring 2021 is a slap in the face to the hard-working people of the Cayman Islands.
To quote you “sometime in the next few months”. I’d say the Premier has delivered his message quite clearly. Reopening is going to happen but we can’t be confident it will be as fast as we want. All that needs to happen is the CI vaccination programme get put back a few months because of limited vaccines and the previous ‘hopefully March’ becomes your “sometime in the next few months”.
Love you, Carlo!
Those that dislike your post, unfortunately, are ignorant. They are too scared to think objectively, or do not have the capacity to analyze data correctly and objectively. Mr Alden certainly falls into one if these categories.
Premier Plati
Yeah, sure. The Cayman Islands government is ignorant. The Cayman Islands premier is ignorant. The people who agree with the Cayman Islands people are ignorant. The governments of Canada, Australia, New Zealand and others are all ignorant. But you and Carlo are geniuses and we should listen to you. Thank you Bevis and Butthead, but I’m going to turn the channel from Fox to the Science Network.
Stand corrected. Not ignorant in naming countries of the world.
“current Moderna, Pfizer, et all vaccines should work against the new strains.” Not sure that you can rely on the fact that you personally are not aware of the pharmaceutical companies working on modifications as being evidence – there is actual published evidence that they are not as effective. For example:
https://www.bmj.com/content/372/bmj.n296#:~:text=News-,Covid%2D19%3A%20Novavax%20vaccine%20efficacy%20is%2086%25%20against%20UK,60%25%20against%20South%20African%20variant
Pfizer today announced that its vaccine protests just as well against the new UK variant. There you go.
They are working on modified vaccines to better combat emerging strains. Current therapeutics like monoclonal antibodies don’t work at all on the new strains. Go do some reading.
When I first met the premier I did not like him. Now after a few years of getting to know him, I still don’t.
Yawn. When I first tried lima beans, I didn’t like them. Now, 50 years later, I still don’t.
If high season 21/22 is the potential time frame for reopening as indicated by Alden then we will learn if these islands can truly survive without tourism. It is interesting to read all the different opinions, they are so diverse, from wanting to keep the border closed until Covid is under control everywhere else in the world, to wanting to open the door and let everyone in without worry. In my opinion the solution is someone in the middle.
Just as someone else mentioned Covid is something we will need to learn to live with. It will continue to mutate, that is what viruses do, but we should not panic each time we hear a report of a new strain of Covid 19. Panic does not lead to a productive outcome in any situation. Before panic sets in we need to take time to research and learn facts from reliable medical sources.
Because I believe Covid will be part of our lives for the foreseeable future the border reopening, regardless of the date, will come with specific arrival requirements and those requirements should not be so strict as to prevent anyone from traveling to or leaving and returning to Cayman. Something I believe CIG should consider is requiring visitors to purchase Covid 19 health insurance and CIG should self fund this program. Visitors would be required to submit a pre-arrival form and pay a certain amount to cover Covid treatment should they get sick while visiting. The odds are good that most visitors will not need to use the insurance, thus in the long run CIG will make money on the program which will help replenish funds paid to displaced tourism workers. Of course transparency in how these funds are used would be an import factor in success and transparency doesn’t seem to be a key factor in the way CIG operates.
I am likely in the minority but I miss visitors, I miss seeing their smiles and their sunburned faces after a day on the beach. I miss sitting in a bustling restaurant filled with visitors to our island. I miss meeting new people from all different parts of the world. I suppose someday these things will return but in the mean-time I still miss the tourism industry (not so much the cruise passengers).
Perhaps under your proposal visitors should prepay for the cost to everyone else if they re-introduce the virus. Seems fair to me if they are the cause.
How dare those horrible visitors who simply want to support the businesses of Grand Cayman via a seven day vacation. Thanks to these horrible tourists Grand Cayman can actually exist economically
Covid is a virus like the flu, and the flu virus mutates every year. We have to learn to live with variants from around the world or otherwise die a slow death from asphyxiation by travel bans.
Ebola is a virus like the common cold. We have to learn to live with ebola and bleeding from all orifices and allow people to bring ebola to Cayman in order to maximize the number of tourists. – sarcastic analogy in case it is necessary to clarify.
9.43pm Just to educate you a little, Spanish flu was in fact more contagious and more virulent than Covid and it involved bleeding from all orifices in many cases, and it WAS flu.Ebola as far as I’m aware never did spread beyond Africa except in a handful of cases which were all contained.
Interesting not a mention regarding the consequences of the continued border closure, as outlined in the most recent Compass article. They are real! Jumping from strain to strain with renewed or even heightened unsupported fear is not sustainable.
no press conference because he would be ripped to shreds by any half decent journalist….
would love to see him explain the logistics and safeguards in place for the home quarantine nonsense….
Those on the border front lines have done a good job so far but need to stay vigilant. From today’s Guardian
“A returned traveller in hotel quarantine in Victoria in Australia has tested positive to the exact same UK variant of Covid as a family staying across the hall with health authorities suspecting the viral load was “so high” it jumped across the corridor.”
cns: either people provide links or this need to be factchecked…otherwise people are just spreading nonsense.
CNS: It was fact checked – see here – but I did not have time to provide the link a the time. Yes, there’s a lot of nonsense around.
That has got to suck
Jumped across the corridor, through 2 closed doors and the hallway space – or transmitted from one room to the other h=by hotel staff providing meals etc not disinfecting and touching surfaces and containers. Which seems more likely?
Thank you Premier for yet another wise decision! Yes, we do have to be very careful as to when we reopen our borders. We are so blessed that we are living normal compared to the rest of the world, and it’s thanks to you Premier. I pray that you will be re-elected so that you can still be involved in our Covid future. God bless you.
Normally don’t support you Alden but I cannot argue or disagree with you on that one Bro!
nonsense as usual from alden. the new strian change nothing and are not being used as an excuse by other countries.
the fact is alden has no real vaccination or re-opening plan for cayman…..want proof?…when is the next batch of vaccines arriving?
This is just a pathetic observation. Just look at what’s happened in the mother Country! The new strain is rampant and the number of deaths has doubled since November!
The mother country is currently in freezing temperatures and the virus is spreading because everyone stays indoors – The complete opposite of the Cayman Islands where people spend most of their time outside and thus a virus like this cannot materially spread
We will get when your entitled European Hypocrites friends stop playin colonial politics with Vaccine production and export regulations!
Think you mean protectionist or nationalist politics- UK was not a colony of the EU. Ironically the only colonialism on display is the mother country providing vaccine free of charge to its overseas territories- but I guess you are ok with that aspect of colonialism.
Your “proof” is a question you don’t know the answer to? Or is your “proof” an assertion that CIG doesn’t know the answer either? Even if CIG does know the exact vaccine delivery schedule that is also subject to change and so must any plan. The simple fact is that Cayman’s population is one of the most vaccinated in the world right now. Quit moaning and for once maybe give CIG some credit for a job well done.
so many thumbs down but no answer for the most basic and important of questions?????
Ignorance rules this island. Fear and uncertainty are their tools. All countries, territories, islands, etc. will survive the spread of Covid but not all will survive the economic impact brought on by shutting down. Cayman has always proved that they are not an educated people by looking at what they have accomplished in the past and present. They are not concerned with success. Plan accordingly.
Q is calling. You’d better take the call because there’s a new plan for all of you that involves moving to Texas.
AOC, is this you?
The virus will mutate and has mutated in a similar manner in separate places across the globe. This would be entirely expected, if you believe in evolution. In fact the extent of similarity of the spike evolution is somewhat surprising, but that is strong evidence that the new strains will represent the dominant norms going forward. But like the flu, this is going to be a permanent and ongoing process and part of life now for humans. It probably cannot be a sensible reason to close off the islands for long periods. Once the vulnerable are vaccinated that is about as good as it is going to get forevermore.
Tuff Love but True Love.
Agree. Covid is here to stay. We can continue to cower in fear or take the available defenses and start living life again.
Offer vaccinations to all residents that want them. Issue a cutoff date for each phrase so people don’t lollygag and hold up the next phase. Once all the phases have had an opportunity for vaccine doses, it’s time to try to rebuild Cayman’s economy.
If you think our borders can stay closed indefinitely, you are utterly stupid.
If we can afford to stay closed and keep giving free cash to tourism workers it is time to give a universal basic income to all Caymanians earning under 28k a year. It seems to Alden businesses and government can afford it.
See a little bit of motivation to open the country. It is that east.
All that would happen is that the ‘great and the good’ business owners would put up their prices in the knowledge that the poorest in the community had more disposable income to spend.
The alternative would be that the Caymanians – with that extra cash – would buy a new car!!
how can we afford it?….we are now at $200m defecit per year.
Apparently, all the debt is world-class too! Smh.
I’ve been following Cayman news from the UK as I normally visit every year. It seems as though every couple of months the Premier or some other figure issues a statement about possible border-reopening to pacify the tourist industry, then a few weeks later backtracks. It’s been an education in how politicians can obfuscate, and I thought they were bad over here! The plan seems to be to gradually run the industry into the ground while replacing regular tourists with HNW settlers.
Or it could that the situation is so fluid, the Government has to react when necessary. NO Government wants to close a major part of its economy – why would it??
Because enticing HNW individuals with the promise of a COVID-free paradise is more lucrative in the long term and keeps the riff-raff out. It’s not rocket science …
You have NO IDEA how bad they are here! Drunken, homophobic women deaters, convicted drug dealers, an abundance of homophobes living in the dark ages. The list goes on…..
Well decided Mr McLaughlin we have come too far to take chances
Why aren’t we having press conferences at least once a month.
It is terrible how the level of communication has almost vanished. We don’t have TV anymore and unless yo come on to CNS or possibly Loop Cayman you have to hear it on the street.
CNS can you ask Alden why he has chosen not to speak directly to the public anymore?
I am glad this has stopped. Who wants to hear Dwayne Seymour prattling on about a subject he clearly has little or no knowledge of, prefaced by his references to the protection and powers of God!
If there is a God, sure this ‘being’ was the cause of this pandemic – otherwise, through his ‘godly’ powers, he would have prevented it!
I don’t think the general public could take Jon Jon’s ramblings anymore, or Ju Ju’s speaking in tongues. Never mind that he would likely have to answer questions regarding the serial abuser Big M (with a drink & a side of violence).
We need a vaccine against the Alden virus. It’s amazing how quickly folks heap praise on him for “doing the right thing” when he’s either simply following the lead of other countries or whenever he utters some vacuous, unspecific statement about what “might have to happen”. He clearly has no plan for how we will achieve economic recovery post COVID, which is understandable, since he’s obviously spending most of his time deflecting criticism and explaining his twisted rationale for not removing that other virus from the Speaker’s chair.
HEAR! HEAR!
Wise move.
Evergreen post from 16/10/20
The public needs to process information/data on Covid19 (or any virus) reasonably and realistically. The panic the media has caused with highlighting the number of Covid19 CASES and not the rest of the data is irresponsible. Most people will recover without any problems. There are treatments available and vulnerable groups are now well known.
Those waiting for a vaccine should know a vaccine will not have 100% effectiveness. Data on yearly flu shots prove this. Among other factors, the number of viruses and mutations that affect humans make this impossible.
You don’t hide in your house or stop normal life during flu season. You protect yourself if your immune system is compromised from another illness or medical condition.
Use good judgement by staying home if you’re ill, wash your hands, don’t touch your face, isolate anyone in your home that is sick, stay away from coughing people in public, etc…
If you get sick, you go to the doctor if necessary. The hospitals were never overrun with Covid19 patients. There are medications for those who require them.
The statistics show this virus isn’t nearly as dangerous as was first predicted.
Life must go on.
Or continue to hide and wait for the ALL CLEAR that is never coming.
P E R F E C T !
Life goes on reality check until yours get stopped! People like you unfortunately have very little or no regard for others ? Your reality is a very selfish narcissistic fantasy . Why don’t you go home if life is so bad here?? Take you conversation up with your wonderful leaders who seem to got it going over deh!
So one has to abandon HIS “very selfish narcissistic fantasy” for YOUR’s “very selfish narcissistic fantasy”?
So people with diagnosed an undiagnosed cancers should just abandon their “selfish” desire to get treatments/diagnosis for your selfish desire to protect yourself from COVID?
One of the reasons flu spreads so easily is due to the ‘heroes’ that show up for work coughing and sputtering. Secondly many places penalize people if you take your allotted sick days. Even to the point where it is recorded on your performance for taking a few sick days a year.
Your comment is a pure speculation.
You should watch some scientific videos of how a virus spreads. For example thousands of people passing through airport immigration and placing fingers on a reader. You really could not invent a better way for a virus to spread! Similarly in an office via droplets, copiers, water coolers, toilet flush handles etc.
Many places penalize people for taking sick days when they are not actually sick, true – the are not “allotted” to be used like vacation, they are a cap on the number of days you can take when you are actually ill without having your salary adjusted.
8.14am Obviously not the Civil Service.
“You don’t hide in your house or stop normal life during flu season.”
Flu season deaths in the US have varied between 12,000 and 61,000 per year since 2010 – a statistic that can be easily checked through the CDC website.
US deaths from Covid currently exceed 400,000 in about 1 year and this total has been reached after the extraordinary efforts made to control the virus.
Covid is not the flu. This poster believes that we should all get out there and let the chips fall where they may. That is one viewpoint.
I, on the other hand, welcome the Premier’s continued cautious approach to opening our borders and the prioritization of life over money. Cayman can help those in financial trouble; it cannot raise the dead. That is a second viewpoint.
You write: “US deaths from Covid currently exceed 400,000…”
I write/copy/paste:
Feb. 2, 2021
The Department of Health and Social Services (AK) reported 17 resident deaths:
“The deaths were identified after the state reviewed death certificates.”
“Of the reviewed deaths…one was an Alaska resident woman in her 60s who died out of state..” https://www.alaskasnewssource.com/2021/02/02/17-deaths-140-covid-19-cases-reported-tuesday/
Pay attention: no current deaths were reported on 2/2/2021, ONLY added deaths… after reviewing death certificates.
CNS: This is the standard way that all public heath authorities calculate deaths in any area or country – as the article you linked to clearly explains. There is a provisional death count and then an official one later after they have had time to look at all the data, including death certificates. This is why the final death count is almost always higher than the provisional one. Most experts believe that the actual deaths from covid is higher than the current death count, however many conspiracy theorists try desperately hard to convince everyone that it’s way lower or doesn’t exist at all.
You must feel very special that you know better than governments, scientists and medical specialists all over the world. I say this because only some one of your specialness can weigh the moral issue at play here and deem it better to ignore COVID-19 restrictions so that “life goes on.” Thanks, O Wise One, for reposting your enlightened message again, but I’ll still support the science.
As I mentioned before, no plan, no plan, no plan…
March will become April, that will become July, that will become September, that will bec……. welcome to 2022 !!!!
They want Cayman to stay closed forever. People can’t come and go, no rights in your beautiful underdeveloped islands!
The virus came to stay, get used to !
By the way, there is no proof the vaccine works !
Results will be collected in months/years from now.
Bermuda controlled the little outbreak before xmas that all here where quick to point out and Bahamas seems to be doing good as well.
So no problem MR PM our tourist have lots of other places to go and some of us will loose everything!
If its a choice between the loss of your business and the loss of one human life – there is no choice!
You can always begin again….. think about it.
Everyone including you will die. There is no choice. How you live is the choice. Half of us need to have the borders open to be able to live our lives. We understand that if you work(get a paycheck) from CIG then your good but doesn’t everyone else (especially those who are self responsible) count even a little bit?
How many people are dying in the streets here from starvation? Answer: None. How many people are dying at home from boredom? Answer: None. How many people are dying from not being able to get other medical treatments because of a lockdown? Answer: None. These are all arguments I’ve read on this site about why we need to go back to normal. People are in fact dying for these reason (as well as COVID-19) in other countries, but not here. Cayman is getting by in ways that most place aren’t. The government and private initiatives are making sure people who don’t have jobs don’t starve. People can go out the bars, restaurants, the beach, the movies, concerts, etc. – so we’re not locked down like other places. And most place that provide medical care are fully operational. I don’t know why people like you can’t understand that we actually have it really, really good here and most of us don’t want to lose that just so you can go on shopping trips, afford your nice cars or whatever else you’re whining about not being able to do because of COVID-19. The truth is, after the necessities of food and shelter, all the conveniences that money can bring aren’t necessary for a happy life and you can’t enjoy those things if you’re dead. Trying sucking it up and looking at the bright side of where Cayman is compared to most other places in the world!
“People can go out the bars, restaurants, the beach, the movies, concerts, etc. – so we’re not locked down like other places. And most place that provide medical care are fully operational.”
I can do ALL of that too……and travel! You have this misconception of people being imprisoned in our homes. Not so!
Yes, Covid is around me and, thankfully, is not in your community. I personally know MANY persons that have had it……ranging from 9 months old to 92 years old. A couple of them had a very tough time with it but the vast majority did very well and, if they even had symptoms, were recovered within 7-10 days. I don’t think “it’s just the flu”. I’m not being careless and trying to catch it. I take precautions with hand washing, social distancing and wearing my mask!
You definitely have the advantage over us in not needing masks because of no community transmission! Kudos to your citizens for making the sacrifices to get that position!
Like in many situations, “the unknown” adds additional fear. This virus was completely unknown at first. As scientists have unraveled more and more info on it and know great treatment options, it is less terrifying. We certainly know it’s not the unavoidable death sentence we all feared at first. I also think the more faces I have been able to put to it, the less fearful I am. Most people in Cayman have no clue as to the identity of a single person that tested positive and therefore it still feels like an unknown.
With all the new wealth moving here permanently, I’m seriously starting to wonder whether we’ll ever need Cruise ships back here. COVID may have made our island a forever better place. Well handled Alden. Keep it safe, and we’ll be rewarded long term. The smart wealthy folks are taking notice!
Armie Hammer?
Cliffnotes for those who don’t know.
Never finished posh high school to pursue acting.
Lifestyle padded by dad’s inherited oil tycoon riches and big break checks made from a handful of blockbuster movies, where Hollywood hotshots and casting directors are family friends.
The caliber of people allowed in by our government. Morals and character not required, but riches are imperative at all costs! Smh.
P.S. Sad because I used to respect the guy before the scandals. The puzzle finally fell into place, not the best picture after all.
I hope you realize that with more wealthy people moving here, the disparity of wealth increases. When restaurants and businesses cater and set prices to those that “csn afford it”, what do you think happens to the other half that cant afford a $20 burger? Cost increases/inflation here has always trended towards greed vs demand and production.
Unless the new wealthy are open to equitably invest in the locals unlike the current set who reside, it may be best for them to move along before it gets worse.
God forbid but the pressure is rising here and people are getting tired of the first-class catering and third-class treatment in their own country. More of the same won’t fix anything.
I’ve got exactly zero interest in putting in 100% of the money and getting 40% of the ownership and profit in order to “invest in the locals.”
Err you do realise that new wealth means increased costs right? Any economist will tell you how important middle class is to economic growth regulation. We will end up with wealth on one end and poverty on the other. As the saying goes, be careful what you wish for.
We really need to get this place open again. As soon as the elderly and other vulnerable groups are vaccinated, open the flood gates.
We have to live with this virus for the rest of our lives.. We need to find away to open our borders and stop charging high cost repatriation flights for ppl that need to leave island especially students. How long can this go on? Hopefully this unity government is out of a job May 26th.. No forward thinkers.
No Government stimulus cheques like every other country then we need a 2nd pension plan withdrawal! Those fat cat pension fund managers are making millions while providing pathetic returns – far less than a $9 ETF like QQQ would provide. QQQ had a 41% last year. Pension fund managers are a total con job.
COVID19 mutations would continue for who knows how long. Tourism industry would remain on hold for the duration of the pandemic. Waiting for the reopening is not a solution.
Translation- we never had a plan, March was never going to happen but y’all are stupid enough to buy time with empty promises. #pullinganalden #ihavenoplan
Theres. Nothing morehe can do. The virus is changing and getting new variants ninthly. Its a dangerous world out there. We need to look at keeping cayman safe, i feel very fortunate to live here right now and always have.
No sensible politician could open in March. Would guarantee a death rate similar to the rest of the Western world, maybe worse given the new virus mutations, so likely 200 would die here. The UK/US people who vacation here will be vaccinated hopefully for a Jan 2022 opening, maybe Christmas. That is a sensible policy.
only 2 people died here (at least officially).
it’s INSANE to keep this place closed for tourists as you suggest.
Why do you think that is?
Gibraltar is 2.6 square miles in size with a population of c.30,000. On 6th January they had only 10 Covid deaths in total. The vaccine arrived to the Rock on 10th January as did the new strain.
Less than 1 month later, Gibraltar is reporting 79 deaths from Covid-19.
9:19 Only two people have died because of the measures the CIG have enacted during this time, so sit down and be quiet.
I think the USA should pattern their COVID control measures after Cayman. All international air flights into the US should be stopped immediately and sea ports should be closed to all international traffic. This virus will only be contained by complete lockdown!!!
I would think that within 4 or 5 months they could flatten the curve and make the world safer by not putting other countries at risk from their container ships possible transporting the virus out of the US by air or sea.
I’m guessing that would get cayman to open their borders real quickly!
Alden would do better to inform the general public through early and proper channels, and manage those expectations, before grandstanding at Chamber events. The whole planet was descending into 2nd and 3rd wave lockdowns a month ago, while he was doubling-down on placating Tourism lobby with “opening in March” smoke.
And global infection rate is down 15%!
We were never going to reopen in March. The virus is mutating and most uk and us citizens who come here on vacation won’t be vaccinated until October time. Let’s be sensible, vaccinate all caymans adults by the summer if the supply lines from Belgium and the uk allow us to receive enough vaccines, then look to slowly open the airport and hotels to tourists around November.
Agree with your logic in principle , BUT…until world populations reach herd immunity through vaccination enough to minimize spread & the associated risk , of any of the as-yet unknown virus mutations , world borders will remain closed or at the least very , very limited to anything remotely resembling an open door policy .The ability to travel will be burdened , enough so, that people will just plainly refuse to do so. Bash him all you want, but Alden is following the sensible logic of some of the main players in the fight against Covid. I’ll name them here in case they are not recognized: Canada, New Zealand , Australia , some S.E. Asian countries. Some European countries included in the list. Tourism in these countries is [now largely] local and within borders for its citizens. They have been told that travel is not possible , not just a recommendation. They are fortunate that ‘Foreign’ incoming travel tourism only accounts for a small percentage of annual budget income, whereas their locally bred tourism within their borders accounts for a large percentage. Small Tropical Island destinations like Cayman ( just as an example) are not in this league , they rely on 99.9% of foreign tourism income , just in that sector. The bad thing for these places is that all the Tourism support industry is also now taken down with the absence of the foreign tourism , as a whole. An optimistic view in all reality, is that the Autumn of 2022 might be an opening start date ( Read Disclaimer ).
Cayman is getting further and further behind the curve. Lots of people are traveling to other places. Eventually, people will just say “eff it, Cayman obviously doesn’t want tourists” and not come back.
9:58 A lot of people can appreciate an island that looks out for the well being of their community too. Those who cannot do not need to come here.
this is the solution.
once enough people are vaccinated the risk from covid to our health system becomes the same as seasonal flu we should be safe to fully re-open.
with high risk groups almost at that level ….there should be a plan in place for re-opening.
Didnt you hear the news? The seasonsl flu has 95% vanished
Once we have done 2 jabs to ALL residents that WANT it, we need a border opening plan that works. Keep the requirements for negative pre-travel test and arrival screening should be processed rapidly!
Other islands are testing arrivals at airport and requiring them to stay in their hotel room for maximum of 3-5 hours until negative result received.
Reading the news streams it looks like the UK government is running round like a headless chicken as this develops. The only good news seems to be coming from the Isle of Man where they shut the borders and have apparently kept the virus out – there’s a message there!
Sure – if running round like headless chickens means that we’re currently seeing one of the most successful vaccine rollouts in the world, which has also meant that Caymanians are now being vaccinated at the UK’s expense!
Because its not a traditional vaccine as people are used to. Other than the AstraZeneca one containing adenovirus, the mRNA vaccines have no disease germ that prompts an immune response. They are more a gene therapy than a vaccine. And they are still in a 24 month Stage 3 human trial phase with deaths and adverse reactions being reported to CDC VAERS (vaccine adverse events reporting system)
This is an entirely false comment. Don’t believe me? Research it, but don’t trust me – this why you shouldn’t trust Anonymous on CNS
Gene therapy inserts into DNA *within* the nucleus. To fight cancer for example.
mRNA is translated in the cytosol of the cell, which does NOT affect the DNA within the nucleus.
Says Anonymous on CNS…..
Dear Anonymous 6:46,
Perhaps you should do your research before you call others comments entirely false.
https://www.asgct.org/research/news/november-2020/covid-19-moderna-nih-vaccine
Excerp:
“Two COVID-19 vaccine trials, both of which use messenger RNA (or mRNA) technology to teach the body to fight the virus, have reported efficacy over 90 percent.
These findings, announced by Moderna on Nov. 16 and by Pfizer and its partner BioNTech on Nov. 9 (with an update on Nov. 18), demonstrate that GENE THERAPY is a viable strategy for developing vaccines to combat COVID-19. Both vaccine candidates use mRNA to program a person’s cells to produce many copies of a fragment of the virus. The fragment then stimulates the immune system to attack if the real virus tries to invade the body.”
who’s surprised? …the usual from no-plan-alden and do-nothing-ppm.
there is no re-opening plan.
there is formal plan or agreed timetable for the adequate amounts of the vaccine to be brought to cayman.
they have failed and will fail on their plan of 3,000 vaccines per week.
there is no formal vaccination plan to get us to herd immunity or safe levels of vaccination in the population.
there is no formal rules or protocols on when vaccinated persons can travel and return to cayman.
there is no plan on how to vaccinate a largely poorly educated local population who belive youtube nonsense over medical facts.
shambolic update from alden.
Who is surprised to find another hateful, uncaring, and uneducated comment by an asshat. Do us all a favor and shut up. If you don’t like it in Cayman and you cannot appreciate the efforts made to protect the population, hop the next flight end get out.
‘if you don’t lie it, leave!’ the usual small minded response.
sorry for you… but i can stay, leave, go, comeback whenever i like and that will never change.
in the mean time, i will continue to highlight the nonsese i hear everyday from CIG
9:19 Typical unoriginal response to people telling you rightly to stfu and stop complaining. If you can’t be grateful for the measures taken to protect the community go to a Republican state where people are likeminded in ignorance. Cayman will be better without you, peace out. ✌🏼
Well I have 2 questions:
1. Are people visiting required to show valid overseas health insurance coverage so that if they
do become ill and require hospitalization here, it wont become a futher HSA burden/write off?
2. Did the fact that a person from our community (who travelled to Cuba on that repatriation flight) tested positive for Covid19 upon entry to Cuba raise any alarm bells with HSA/Govt?
Why babies receive all other vaccines but children 16 years and younger can’t take the covid 19 vaccine?
Why people who have received both vaccine shots still get covid 19.
Too many question and no answers.
Sad.
Those are normal questions. These are “Emergency Use Authorization” vaccines, developed in less than a year, and haven’t been trial-tested in kids yet. Many of these vaccines were barely through Phase II’s in adults when the international orders and political pressures started piling-in. Lucky for humanity, it seems the bulk of vaccines are mostly effective (60-95%) in getting adult immune systems safely up to speed to isolate and combat the foreign spike proteins and/or specific virus invaders. The whole idea is to give the body’s T cells the ability to quickly recognize the invaders once exposed, with maximum defense a couple weeks after second dose. Like any vaccine, it’s not a bulletproof vest. The intention is to reduce the experience to something non-life threatening, and hopefully short-lived. 5% of those in Pfizer trial groups seem to have an immune system impairment that doesn’t fully produce the T cell response and they may get some illness, but importantly, a non-lethal experience. We will still need to wear a mask, wash hands, etc. when in an exposure environment. Get the vaccine.
If you are wearing a bullet proof vest and get shot in the head you will die…
I’m thinking there are a few reasons people who get the covid vaccine can still get covid. 1. They were infected with covid when they got the vaccine, but did not know. 2. Even though they were vaccinated, the effects still take a few weeks after to work in the body and in that short time period, they get covid. 3. Just like the flu vaccine, it is to help prevent not stop totally from getting it and hopefully the symptoms when you get it will not be as bad
No. The immune system booster, aka COVID vaccine, trains one’s body to fight the virus if one gets infected. This is supposed to prevent deaths and reduce hospitalizations. It doesn’t prevent getting and spreading COVID19.
As for mutations, nobody knows yet if immune system on “high alert” for covid19 would also tackle its mutated versions.
“This is supposed to prevent deaths and reduce hospitalizations. It doesn’t prevent getting and spreading COVID19.”
☝🏼 This is what people can’t seem to understand!
Vaccinate Caymanians/residents that want it and get on with life! Alden and crew claim the reason for borders having to stay closed is to keep the healthcare system from being overburdened. Well, if they believe so strongly in the vaccines, then they should believe that vaccinated persons are unlikely to be moderately or severely ill and therefore not a burden on the system.
They haven’t finished the trials/testing for children aged 16 and under. The vaccines have different efficacy rates based on testing. None are 100%.
I don’t think they even test it on children yet.
Silly comment. Children don’t get vaccinated against COID. Maybe you need to start educating yourself and reading the news that came out an hour ago in the UK on the Oxford vaccine’s impact on transmission, and also read about the Israel studies on efficacy. No vaccine has 100% efficacy. And usually they take a decade to develop. Maybe you should be grateful tot he Uk for supplying healthy young Caymanians with a vaccine 6 months before some 60 year olds + will get it in the UK.
Can you respond without being nasty? Not everyone glued to smartphones and TV news channels. We live in time when ignorance is a blessing, for information overload skyrocketed anxiety and panic attacks.
Read respectable info… Learn… Your questions reflect a lack of basic knowledge.
1. Babies… How do you define ‘babies’? Research shows that some vaccines are not recommended for those under 12 months. But some are fine for 12 M – 2 yrs. Get the facts (Not BS!). All have slight but real side-effects. Don’t want to risk it – great, less in the gene pool in a few years.
2. 16 and younger for the corona vaccines? Well, the studies were rushed to provide some protection as early as possible. 16 and younger was not a cohort that was included in the studies. Typical vaccines take 2-5+ years to prove their efficacy; this was not possible, thus the precaution for those younger than 16. Again, simple logical.
3. Folks who got covid after both vaccines… Again, ill informed question. If a vaccine is 95% effective. DUH – about 5% ‘may still’ get covid. A margin of error that is readily understood.
Instead of throwing fire on the anti-vac fire, please get educated about what you are saying.
Too many questions? Nah, just get educated.
Be well.
While I cannot disagree with most of what you had to say, I think, because you were such a sh*t in how you said it, I would point out that your #3 point displays your own ignorance on the matter. Yes – 5% may still get it. And 95% on whom the vaccine is effective CAN ALSO GET IT and they can spread it. However, they are unlikely to be negatively affected by it themselves, because the vaccine helped build the right defense cells for them… so – as you said – please get educated about what you are saying.
People are getting desperate and he’s all about back slapping. This government has NO plans for anything
Pathetic performance by Alden