COVID prison case connected to GTPS outbreak

| 17/09/2021 | 30 Comments
Cayman Islands health worker conducts COVID-19 test

(CNS): Allaying fears that the Delta variant of SARS-CoV-2 is now spreading in the community, on Friday morning Chief Medical Officer Dr John Lee reported that from a batch of 1,394 PCR tests carried out yesterday, there were just two additional positive cases, which were both among travellers exiting quarantine. He also said that the contact tracing has linked the prison officer who tested positive to the George Town Primary School outbreak, which means that public health officials are still dealing with just two separate community outbreaks, with 20 positive cases now linked to the school.

Even in the absence of new regulations or an enforced lockdown, most residents have quickly adopted COVID prevention measures again by limiting unnecessary movement, wearing masks, social distancing and doing what they can to contain the potential spread. Businesses are taking precautions and more people are working remotely, all of which, together with the growing national vaccination rate, could help curtail the community spread.

Government is currently scheduled to hold a press briefing Friday afternoon at 3pm, which will be broadcast on the usual GIS social media channels and CIGTV.

See Dr Lee’s morning update below:

See the vaccine schedule on the HSA website here.

For more information on vaccines contact the HSA Communications team at
communications@hsa.ky

See here for more information on securely verifiable vaccination records.


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Category: Health, Medical Health

Comments (30)

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  1. Anonymous says:

    So we know about the prison, now tell us what percentage of staff at GTPS are fully and verifiably vaccinated.

  2. Anonymous says:

    80% say they disagree with the delayed opening per compass survey. Says it all really.

    October 14 was the date set to accept community spread and live with COVID – why does cases coming a month earlier push this back to January?

    • Anonymous says:

      It was the “No Plan PPM” but it’s the “No Clue, Fake Plan PACT.” Did anyone understand the babbling press conference yesterday?” These people are truly out of their depth.

    • Anonymous says:

      Compass readers include a lot of foreign tourists; it’s not a statistically valid survey of Cayman’s residents.

      Our largest feeder markets are currently experiencing some of the largest surges of the virus they’ve seen since the onset of the pandemic. That’s reason enough to consider pushing back the border reopening.

      • Anonymous says:

        Oh yeah, shed loads of people log into the Compass from overseas! LOL. They can’t even sell enough papers to locals to stay solvent. Those 7000 people who voted their disapproval of the government’s action are local alright. But they are not the people Wayne is listening too. Mind you, looks like he isn’t liste to Dr Lee either.

  3. Anonymous says:

    PACT – We’ve got to learn to live with Covid by keeping our boarders closed.

    • Anonymous says:

      There is absolutely no need to keep borders closed. There is no need to close schools when someone gets covid. Only those positive and those in contact need to be put in quarantine. Not everyone in a whole building. That is what the world did back in early 2020. That does not happen anymore. Only people who are feeling ill, have tested positive or who are close contact are put in quarantine. There is also no need to quarantine everyone that is vaccinated coming in on flights. Test before, on landing and release. Test on day 4 if you feel needed, but quarantine only ruins tourism. Learn not to fear covid, but to live with it.

    • Anonymous says:

      I agree – Keep borders closed. The boarders can look after themselves.

  4. Anonymous says:

    Time to close all restaurants and hotels. Business owners cannot operate with minimal customers and maximum uncertainty. This fear based government doesn’t have the balls to open up, despite their repeatedly saying its necessary to do so.

    • Anonymous says:

      Most restaurants have been struggling for 18 months. They look full to people as they largely see them on weekends – but have lost so much trade Monday to Thursday. A lot will go under.

      What is the plan now for all these stipend Caymanians who CIG were saying would be prioritized for hospitality jobs?

      As usual I imagine the FS industry will be invoiced for the welfare bill?

      • Anonymous says:

        Restaurants and hotels are struggling even in a lot of places that are “fully open”, because COVID is still having an impact on their business.

        While unfortunate, this is a consequence of the pandemic, not of the borders being closed. The couple thousand tourists a month that are expected to come to Cayman if borders reopen are never going to make up for the loss of the 2.33m international arrivals Cayman saw in 2019 before the pandemic, and any gains those restaurants and hotels are likely to experience will almost assuredly be obliterated when we inevitably have to lock down again, like so many other islands have.

        • Anonymous says:

          Stop counting cruise ships and their passengers as if they really counted. For the most part they were a scourge. We are much better off without them.

          • Anonymous says:

            Businesses might benefit from closing until next year. There won’t be much traffic for the next few months. I won’t be surprised.

    • Anonymous says:

      Time to close all businesses and send every work permit holder or visitor off the island. Only allow Caymanians to be here, lock us all down and only have grocery store open. Government can give us all food vouchers and some extra money. Once we get rid of Covid then look at who comes back in. Time for Honorable Alden and Honorable Seymour to get back in charge as only them can get things under control.

      • Anonymous says:

        That is the most ridiculous thing I have ever read! You do realize the FS industry generates 80%+ of government revenue, has propped up Cayman for the last year, and is predominantly expat in senior positions as there are not enough qualified Caymanians to do their work (which is an education system issue, not a pro-expat / anti-Caymanian bias issue)

      • The Cayman Councellor says:

        Dear mister Anonymous 6:07 pm, That is the dumbest comment I have ever seen on CNS !!!

  5. Anonymous says:

    “Travelers exiting quarantine”: How long quarantine, the ridiculous, unscientific, inadequate, dangerous 5-day period- proposed by who?

  6. Anonymous says:

    If our hospitals arent over run what’s the big deal? This just proves that the government wasn’t gonna be ready on October 14 so they theoretically pooped the bed.

  7. Beth says:

    Lord have mercy quit living in a bubble of fear!! You are almost at 80% vaccination rate! What was the point in getting the island vaccinated if you still are just going to live in a bubble of fear! Start living!!!!

  8. Anonymous says:

    Were the GTPS kids on a field trip ?

  9. Anonymous says:

    Please CIG, do the right thing and open in October as planned!

  10. Maybe says:

    They can start the press conference on time.

    Then we can look at the math on this and open the frickin borders.

  11. Anonymous says:

    stop.
    this is the solution that will protect people and encourgae vaccine uptake.
    bring in social restrictions for unvaxxed….(they are are a risk group)
    bring in vaccine passports for vaccinated people to live life as normal.
    this is being done all over the world…why not here???
    dart/maples/walkers gave you the blueprint.

  12. Anonymous says:

    Does the prison officer or his immediate family have any recent travel history international or domestic?

    • #fanrasyisland says:

      Based on recent news from prison quite possibly a midnight visitor in a canoe from our neighbor island to the southeast

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