GTPS student tests positive for COVID-19

| 14/09/2021 | 164 Comments
George Town Primary School (Photo courtesy DES)

(CNS) UPDATED: George Town Primary School is closed for lessons today (Tuesday) after a Year 6 student tested positive for COVID-19 late Monday evening. Government officials have said nothing about the health of the child, why he or she was tested and whether the child has any connection to the contact tracing for the first case of coronavirus in the community last Wednesday.

All of the students will be tested and parents will be contacted today to tell them when to go to the school campus, where testing will be carried out. Meanwhile, John Gray High School is urging students there with siblings at GTPS to stay home.

Officials said the planned response measures, in line with COVID-19 protocols, have been activated at the George Town primary school.

“I want to reassure the community that Public Health is doing everything to ensure the safety of our students,” said Chief Medical Officer Dr John Lee. “We can all appreciate that this is a very difficult time for many of us in the community. However, it is best not to spread misinformation and to cooperate with Public Health officials at this time. I am thankful that we are a highly vaccinated community, which will serve us well during times like these.”

Parents of students of the GTPS are asked to remain home today with their children until they are contacted with a time that their child’s year group will be tested. On arrival, students and their family members should wear masks and take all precautions around hand hygiene and physical distancing at the school. School facilities and buses will be sanitised and families will be supported by the school counsellor and other staff.

“Since receiving notification late Monday evening that one of our students has tested positive for COVID-19, we, along with Public Health, have immediately activated our Continuity of Operations Plan for schools,” said Department of Education Services Director Mark Ray. “In consultation with Public Health authorities, our staff will be on the ground at GTPS to oversee the implementation of the appropriate measures, and to provide support and guidance where needed.”

All students and parents are advised to wear masks at all other government school facilities.

In a statement, officials from JGHS confirmed that the school was open but staff and students must wear masks and students who have brothers and sisters at GTPS are being asked to stay home until they are called in for COVID-19 testing and they have their results.

The Health Services Authority is asking people with flu symptoms to stay at home and first contact the 24 hour Flu Hotline or your general practitioner to speak to a health professional about your symptoms before visiting the flu clinic.

Anyone with flu symptoms is urged to stay at home in the first instance and contact the 24 hour Flu Hotline or your general practitioner to speak to a health professional about those symptoms before visiting the flu or testing clinic.

Flu Hotline: 1-800-534-8600 or 345-947-3077 or 345-925- 6327 or email flu@hsa.ky
Callers will be screened for travel history and advised on what to do next.


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Category: Education, Health, Local News, Medical Health

Comments (164)

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  1. Anonymous says:

    Everyone, please get vaccinated so we can go on with our lives. Unfortunately the virus is here to stay, but we can’t afford another lockdown, we just have to protect ourselves as much as possible. When vaccinated, the virus is not as lethal, this has been proven.

  2. Anonymous says:

    …and note that Cuba has already started vaccinating 5-12 year olds. Their vaccine is 92% effective.

  3. Anonymous says:

    My kid with the flu was WAY sicker than my kid with Covid. The Covid vaccine kept those symptoms at a bare minimum.

  4. Anonymous says:

    One country doing something sensible today –

    “The Dutch government on Tuesday announced it is easing Covid restrictions and will introduce a “corona” pass showing proof of vaccination to go to bars, restaurants, clubs or cultural events.”

  5. Anonymous says:

    Yall are pretty upset about a school being closed for a few days… uneh dislike your own kids that much awa?

    • Anonymous says:

      Close down a whole school for 1 Covid case? Ridiculous!
      Have the one student in quarantine and anyone in close contact ( within 6 ft for 15 minutes) in quarantine. Everyone else- everyone else- continues in school getting their education!!!

  6. Anonymous says:

    Stop wasting time and get the boosters here…

  7. Anonymous says:

    Judging by the comments most people on here either have children in private school, no children at all or are just trolls who are not even in Cayman and insisting that we have to adapt to the same sad, covid-filled existence the rest of the world is experiencing.

    • Tony Stank says:

      Nailed it

    • Anonymous says:

      Yup – Adapt! I won’t insist, Covid will handle your reservations to follow science.

      Oh, and the rest of the posters, like maybe you, that are reluctant to believe that Cayman exists on Earth!!!!!!! Yes, Cayman will be subject to the covid-filled existence the rest of the world is experiencing.

      Sorry, you are not too privledged to avoid what is happening — Reality!

  8. Anonymous says:

    We cannot give this freedom up, but we cannot stay close and continue as normal, as some people are suffering because they cannot see any other way and want to continue as normal.
    Change is coming, whether it’s we want to or not.

  9. Tony Stank says:

    The selfish expat and business coalition is out in full force today.

  10. Anonymous says:

    Seems as though every single Civil Servant must have a child at GTPS.

  11. Anonymous says:

    There is statistic missing in all this. How many of the 650 cases on Island needed medical intervention even without vaccine. About 3 or 4. Most people will not get ill. That is the startling figure of all those recently tested. No one is in hospital because of covid. Treat us as adults, shield those that need shielding, but life needs to go on.

  12. Naya Boy says:

    Cayman doesn’t want to hear this babble Mr Premier. We want to hear when this foolishness of allowing everybody to come in here who clearly are not complying with Quarantine rules is going stop! That’s what we want to hear from you. Todays actions will continue to impact our schools and businesses and lives in this manner until sensible quarantine measures are put in place or implement. We are living with Covid 19 as some keep pointing out but if we keep letting unselfish individuals continual interrupt or daily lives because of their idiot behavior how is that going to work. Finally other than prosecutions what if any measures will be taken against those who breach quarantine rules fines and imprisonment. Skylar Mack was deported the same should apply the others.

    • Anonymous says:

      The people currently (and for the past year) not complying with quarantine were residents. Don’t blame anyone else, but them.
      Now, it’s been over a year since most of the world has opened. Time for Cayman to open up also. Follow the covid protocols. Stop the fear, panic and hate. Get a vaccine, wear a mask when you can’t social distance and wash your hands. Covid isn’t going away. Bottom line.

      • Anonymous says:

        Here, here! Yes, it is the ignorant anti-vaxers who are to blame. They have a list of excuses at hand not to get the jab, but all are equally ignorant.

        My country is so… stupid!
        My country is so uneducated!
        My country is so 3’rd world!

  13. Anonymous says:

    this was the plan?

    • Beaumont Zodecloun says:

      You people and your ‘plan demand’. Do you not get that this virus is ever-evolving and the response to it thus also changing? Go ahead and list for us the countries/territories/providences that have Covid-19 completely under control.

      That’s right. There are none. Sweden has thrown caution to the wind, and there cases are escalating, with still one of the highest infection rates in Europe.

      The “Plan” since this all began has been constantly evolving. Nobody knows what will develop, so therefore as with the PPM and now PACT, as the situation and variants change, so must the response.

      Will the virus last for a decade?
      Will it attenuate as the 1917 Spanish Flu did after four years?
      Will it mutate into a variant that is less infectious?

      When you discover someone who can accurately peer into the future, THAT person can help craft a “Plan” to your and my liking.

      • Anonymous says:

        But until then, we need to follow science – NOT religious fantasy.

        • Beaumont Zodecloun says:

          Agree. Your statement has nothing to with mine. That seems to happen a lot lately — that people reinforce their view rather than discuss/debate with others.

  14. Anonymous says:

    That Union Jack is flying upside down. A traditional signal of distress.

    • Anonymous says:

      Uh… Where? In your fantasy-brain? Stupid comment with no basis.

      • Anonymous says:

        The Union Jack has a right way up and a wrong way up to be flown, as of course do the Stars and Stripes and the Cayman flag. The Union Jack in that photo is definitely flying upside down. And a national flag flown upside down is technically a call for help. So I was right on all counts.

        You might now be thinking “so what’s the right way and the wrong way?” But I’ll leave that for you to work out for yourself. Unless they apply their brains occasionally, ignorant gobshites will never progress from being as thick as porridge.

      • Anonymous says:

        14@6:12 pm – You wouldn’t even know….but rather insult!

        Educate your puerile brain….sorry, you wouldn’t understand that either. Your loss.

  15. Anonymous :| says:

    Yep, kill our Caymanian economy through much fear-mongering over Covid when the fact is – vax and unvax can’t stop the virus from spreading! Children will get it. You can’t stop that!

    It seems “they” will keep denying that this is something we just have to live with, we just have to keep strong immune systems. But it seems “their” aim is to kill the goose that lays the golden eggs, ruin global economies and use the opportunity to centralize people’s information. And many Caymanians will be without jobs. Worse than Covid will be a famine! :/

    • Anonymous says:

      Yes Kattina, Mario, Clinton, Velma and Renrick – we hear you

    • Anonymous says:

      Oh the drama – Famine. Lol. Why don’t you add cannibalism to increase the fear-based drama?

    • Anonymous says:

      But people still choose to continue this vaxxed vs unvaxxed BS.

      • Anonymous says:

        I suspect you are not in hospital wards where the majority of serious Covid patients close to dying are UNVAXXED! Must be nice to be SO isolated that reality does not matter to you.

        Rest assured, this reality will be your future! Sorry, not BS!

        • Beaumont Zodecloun says:

          Lighten Up, Francis.

          I suspect you are not there either, but the invoking of it somehow serves your purpose.

          Here’s an idea. Why don’t we belay this “vaxxed” vs. “unvaxxed crap and figure out a solution that serves everyone? I’d even be fine with the majority, except I don’t believe that CNS comments are the measure of that. I wouldn’t mind a referendum. That would be fair.

          I think there are large business folk posting here who want to further their business model at the unmeasurable cost of some lives. I think the flow of things will demonstrate when the optimal time comes, much as it did in the 1920s.

    • Anonymous says:

      Border open with 7 day quarantine. Most who travel there have a 7 day holiday. How does that work? Let’s spend thousands of dollars and travel to a beautiful island to sit inside an expensive hotel room for 7 days, order food service 3 meals a day, not have contact with the outside world and then fly home. How was that holiday?

  16. Anonymous says:

    The roads are much more dangerous.

  17. Anonymous says:

    Quick, everyone take their dirty once a week washed masks out of their pockets and put them on just to appease the fearmongers!

  18. Anonymous says:

    I’m continually stunned by the apathy, shown in comments with ‘children will fine’. Keep in mind these are ‘young people’ that aren’t permitted to be vaccinated whilst at the same time seeing paediatric/young teen cases and deaths on the rise with the largely vaccinated adult community casually rolling out their apathy towards them. Yes I’ll agree statistically children show a good response to COVID but also keep in mind and consider their mental well being before casting a quasi hypocritical net of your non-empathy on those that may be aware they’re not permitted the additional defences we as parents, adults in the community have been afforded.

    • Anonymous says:

      Their mental well-being is negatively affected by the hysteria amongst the adults. Not to mention their social and cognitive development which is impacted by senseless mask mandates for children

      • Anonymous says:

        Oh you’re a charm 10:29, a real charm aren’t you. Let me know when so I can blog on your mask burning party

      • Anonymous says:

        10:29, I was in agreement with you until you
        ran off the tracks! If your comment was: “Their mental well-being is negatively affected by the hysteria amongst the adults. Not to mention their social and cognitive development which is (being) impacted” it would have been perfect!

        I don’t have any issue with wearing of masks again. They drastically reduce cases when everybody is wearing them. Mask wearing isn’t what is damaging kids and their development.

        The problem for these poor children is being surrounded by constantly panicking adults. Talk about some anxiety-filled children. We’re going have a huge mental health crisis from the way people react to Covid news.

    • Follow the science says:

      If you agree that statistically they are going to be unaffected, then surely you understand that it is not apathy towards children, but just the facts. As long as we as adults don’t scare them unnecessarily to affect their mental well being, then they will be fine.

      • Anonymous says:

        It’s good to have reassuring pillars in our community such as yourself 10:34. Yes I agree that physically statistically the odds are in favour of the children but stop there with the unknowns of long COVID. Mentally, – so you’re going to be the individually that stands up in front of a group of children/young teenagers and says when asked, ‘yes, I’m vaccinated because there is a significant risk I’ll get ill, but you’ll be fine’ when statistically they can see for themselves the odds are gathering against them, – sorry kids no empathy, that’s just the facts.

    • The stats are that only 2 out of 1 million children that contract Covid will need hospital care. Maybe that’s why , try researching before spouting garbage.

    • Anonymous says:

      The children will have to sacrifice so that the adults can freely do what they want.

    • Anonymous says:

      Sounds like a subconscious truth just surfaced 12:09, allow your mind to be eased with your new discovery 😇

    • Anonymous says:

      I guess very basic statistics aren’t your strong point.

  19. Anonymous says:

    Yet life goes on.

  20. Anonymous says:

    People – take a look at what is happening in Bermuda as a result of dropping quarantine – schools closed, businesses disrupted. Bermuda is also much more transparent than our government. Their data shows that infected fully vaxxed people often do not turn PCR positive until day 10!. Our 5 day quarantine is clearly not sufficient for the Delta variant!

    https://www.gov.bm/articles/covid-19-update-10-september-2021

  21. Anonymous says:

    The Premier has just stated that vaccination saves lives. That is true. Too bad that he cannot grasp that science also clearly shows that quarantine is even better.

    We must not drop quarantine requirements and in fact we should add day 10 testing for fully vaxxed people. The evidence from Bermuda clearly shows that many fully vaxxed people who are infected do not produce positive PCR tests until day 10.

    • Anonymous says:

      So you mean to tell me I got vaxxed for nothing?! Still have to wear a mask, still have to social distance, still have to quarantine. I feel like I’ve been finessed.

  22. Anonymous says:

    I’m still honestly struggling to hear someone explain why “we must” reopen, or why the risks of reopening outweigh the benefits of our current restrictions.

    The way I see it, before this week, we got to enjoy a really large amount of freedom. Essentially no mask requirements, no restrictions on getting together, no limitations on the number of people who can dine at restaurants, no everyday worrying about whether or not you or your loved ones are going to get sick and/or die. Many of those freedoms are likely to end when our borders reopen.

    Yes, we have had to make some compromises to achieve our current level of freedom, with a number of people finding themselves out of their usual work, as well as having to quarantine when you need to travel. But, these trade-offs have also had some benefits, too — more Caymanians are being hired into other industries, more people are purchasing locally instead of flying to Miami, etc.

    Of course, we could be doing more to ease the burdens (mandated training programs, even better job search support, duty concessions on essentials, airfare concessions on necessary travel for medical/bereavement purposes, a registry for air travel requests so that flights can be added to meet the demand, etc.) But keep in mind that the uncertainty that reopening introduces also has a lot of negative implications, too — the probability that restaurants will have capacity limitations so they can’t figure out their staffing needs, the fact that local events are being cancelled because no one knows if it will be safe to do so, etc. If you’re in tourism and hospitality, it’s also been difficult to re-tool and switch industries if you’re constantly being told that hospitality “might come back soon”, like we’ve been told for the last year, instead of knowing in advance that we’re going to have to figure something out for the foreseeable future.

    I just don’t see how the relatively small amount of tourism revenue that we are likely to gain (particularly in an era where folks are more skittish to travel than they used to be and where there is the constant fear of last minute cancellation as the virus cycles through communities) is worth giving up our current freedoms for. If we need more money to get us through these hard times, why not consider increasing the stamp duty on luxury condo sales, decreasing duty concessions on unsustainable development, or increasing the fees for work permits for jobs that could be filled by out of work Caymanians?

    That’s just my view, though. I am honestly interested in others’ thoughts, because I can’t figure out why folks legitimately want to reopen (or if the commenters here in favour of reopening are mostly just expats who just want to go on holiday, or second home owners who want to come stay in their condos on Seven Mile Beach for Christmas at the possible expense of our community’s health). Help me understand a different point of view.

    • C'Mon Now! says:

      Because apparently Tourism still drives a significant portion of the Cayman Economy and Construction and Real Estate are related to Tourism. Plus Financial Services needs some visibility on how borders will work to operate and retain/attract staff.

      Apparently right now some people can’t afford to live (shelter/eat) without rather large payments from the CIG.

      Definitely CIG does not have the financial resources to continue on the current track forever.

      Covid-19 will be around for an extended period of time so PAC needs to deal with it at some point.

      Politically it will be better to learn to live with it now than in a few years when the next election is looming on the horizon.

      So it seems pretty simple to me.

      If you have been to almost anywhere else in the World in the last year you would have seen societies learning to live/manage with Covid-19.

      We have to as well all we are debating is the timing.

      • Anonymous says:

        How about if the idea of a closed border sounds so good, then no one can come or go. That means the airport stays completely shut. No travel to the UK, US, or Jamaica. Travel for everyone is done. No more mail, groceries, gasoline, etc. enter the island. Closed border is closed border. How does that sound?

        • Anonymous says:

          I’m not sure what point you’re making. That sounds completely unnecessary and not what anyone is suggesting?

      • Anonymous says:

        Asking a serious question — has there been a reduction in real estate value or sales volume? From the perspective of a lay person, I’m still seeing tons of development and demand for real estate.

        I also understand that folks need government subsidies at the moment, and that it’s not sustainable forever without replacing the lost revenue. I don’t see people receiving government subsidies in a time of need as inherently a bad thing—that is presumably part of the function of government. And some suggestions have been made on how the lost tourism revenue could be replaced. Also, are people in hospitality not able to work in other industries? Or do they just continue to hold out hope that tourism will return sooner rather than later, so it doesn’t make sense to invest in retraining?

    • Anonymous says:

      I have recently left. The travel restrictions halved my income. Travel was an essential component of my job. Staying for some future date became untenable. My nearly $100 K local spending is now in the UK, but the costs here are about 25 percent of Cayman and in some instances about 10 percent. Life here is a measured “normal “

      • Anon says:

        Yes but it rains a lot, there is a lot of crime, terrorism. People looked depressed at times.
        It’s cold and some years there is no real summer. Also there is tax.

        • Island Dreams on that UK Kool Aid says:

          It does rain a lot, and it snows; the seasons are nice! In fact, we have had very sunny and even hot summers lately, without a doubt the last 3 years have seen weeks of perfect weather at a time. And there is nowhere like the English countryside in perfect weather!- I love it in winter as well

          I am not sure terrorism is on my checklist of daily risk, but fair enough yes, it does and can happen. Them is first world problems I guess.

          Yes, they do look depressed and much of them are. Much like Caymans frightening mental health figure; or do you not know of it?

          Taxes yes, but I pay 90p for a litre of milk… etc! Compare those CPI numbers and tell me who is fairing better?

          The crime you say….I think we all know Caymans crime numbers are soaring, and worse it’s a tiny community.

          *I’ll just add this, London/Liverpool/ Manchesters’s tourism numbers all squash Caymans very easily.

          Kids do yourself a favour, visit, study and explore the UK. We are in a unique position to be able to live and work over here. It is a progressive nation regardless of stereotyping. It offers amazing learning institutes for development. It is a rich nation and offers superb government service and freedoms. More young adults are becoming millionaires in the UK than in most first world countries. And don’t worry bout yah Caribbean food, it ovah heh. It all ova dah place.

    • Anonymous says:

      Some want to re-open because they just do not want to change, hence, the reason to be vaccinated. The virus is all about change though.

    • Anonymous says:

      I will try. I am not a citizen of CI.

      We live in a global economy. CI is no exception to that and it probably is more global than most.

      The freedoms about masks, and lack of other restrictions you mention are the same in most areas – mine included. CV is old news and yes the infected numbers have been going up, but the vaccinated don’t seem to affected. Those that aren’t vaccinated have made their choice. Life moves on with the CV in other countries just as they do in CI.

      The point that you are missing is this:
      People want to travel and don’t want additional issues to do so. Testing, quarantines, travel permission, and spotty airline schedules are all hinderances to that ability to travel freely.

      Many of the industries are tied together so please consider when you say increase the stamp duty on real estate or work permit fees. You can increase these until it isn’t economical for anyone.

      Tourism drops hard dollars straight into the government purse – no secondary effort required. Example – airline and cruise shippers have dollars built into their tickets. Stamp duties and work permit fees are one time and would not necessary be steady if the real estate transactions drop – same with the work permit holders.

      Forgetting the cruise shippers for a minute – stay over and second home tourist come because they love CI. Many of your stay over folks become next years property owners – take that away with the travel restrictions and watch what happens. First the property values will fall, that will in turn drive down the stamp duty revenues. Next the developers will be watching the falling values and that will slow development (regardless of how one feels about it). Construction companies will begin to run out of work and that in turn will send many work permit holders home. Not to mention any employed CI citizens in that field will be out of a job. Work permit fees will drop.

      Next, the financial district that has options will be looking for other areas – areas that don’t have such erroneous restrictions. When their staffing becomes a problem because other areas allow them to freely come and go – that will slowly drain work permit fees and real estate transaction (stamp duty) together.

      The CI government at some point will run into a financial pinch as time wears on. At that point, hard decisions will have to be made and that would not be good a position. Once the CIG bank account is low and trying to navigate the CV with no money isn’t a good strategy. Better now when money is available to, send medical personnel to the US to brush up on what is currently working, buy supplies, and other preparations.

      CI has a choice now in the future it may not have that choice.

      Respectfully submitted – please tell me if there is something wrong with my analysis.

      • Anonymous says:

        Sounds like the results many Caymanians have been looking for actually:

        “First the property values will fall, that will in turn drive down the stamp duty revenues. Next the developers will be watching the falling values and that will slow development (regardless of how one feels about it). Construction companies will begin to run out of work and that in turn will send many work permit holders home.”

        • Anonymous says:

          Except the unsaid part which will be more and more Caymanians will have to find work off the island. There won’t be many job opportunities.

        • Anonymous says:

          Yes, this seems ideal.

        • Anonymous says:

          Agreed to this possible outcome. However, i doubt the work permit holders will just ‘go home’’. One can dream of driving to work and not seeing 30 year old cars with rental plates clogging the road.

          Nothing against foreign workers, its that our governments do not plan for any infrastructure. Adding 3 lanes to a road that still bottlenecks into 1 lane or a roundabout is all we have to show for the millions our government takes from the economy. When you put everything together and sprinkle some foreign workers who need cars to get around because the bus system is garbage, thus having to rely on whats within their means to get around we have the situation we have now.

      • Anonymous says:

        Excellent comment. COVID is here to stay. Protect yourself, your family and neighbours. Life has to go on, this IS the new normal for now.

        Let’s show empathy towards each other and get Cayman up and running as safely as possible.

      • Anonymous says:

        The Cayman Islands are also a very small community, with extremely close family ties and limited resources in our health system. If a surge occurs, as it has in many states, we do not have the option to seek capacity in neighboring jurisdictions. Shouldn’t that be taken into account in assessing whether Cayman is able to do what some other communities have done?

    • Anonymous says:

      I’m 100% with you. I don’t want to give up this little safe piece of paradise we have just to benefit a few rich hotel owners.

      • Anonymous says:

        Such a naive and simplistic comment, and ignores that COVID will remain an endemic, globally circulating virus, just like the seasonal flu and other coronaviruses, such as the 4 that cause the common cold.

        You are in the camp of never moving on and remain permanently closed.

    • Anonymous says:

      Agree totally. On top of that the government is refusing to come clean about the comparative costs of dropping quarantine including health care costs, income lost because of illness, the likelihood of lockdowns, and death for some. I am afraid that they have done a deal to open no matter the cost to Caymanians.

  23. Anonymous says:

    Some people say that Covid is inevitable and that some people will get sick and some will die so we might as well drop quarantine now.

    I say that if we keep quarantine some that would not be alive for Christmas if we drop quarantine, will be alive. How many Caymanians who will not see another Christmas is OK with this government?

  24. Anonymous says:

    What a massive over reaction. So disappointing. Everywhere else in the world is moving on with life. We are going to have COVID. There is a huge difference between testing positive and needing a ventilator. Can’t shut a whole school down and subject all students to testing every time a case pops up. Ridiculous.

    Obviously the health of children is the most important thing but the risk of death or bad long-lasting COVID symptoms for kids is far less than them dying of lots of other things. What about their mental health? Is that not as important as their physical health? Why are we making their mental health suffer for a physical risk that is practically non-existant.

    Parents – get vaccinated. Helpers – get vaccinated. Teachers – get vaccinated. Everyone else eligible – get vaccinated. Wash your hands and don’t be and idiot.

    The time for living COVID free is gone. COVID is here to stay. We have been so sheltered that one or two cases is resulting in panic. Stop thinking every click bait headline from other countries = doom, gloom and death to all. There are millions of kids back to school in places with much more COVID than here.

    • Anonymous says:

      Thank you for this dose of common sense

    • Anonymous says:

      100% with you on this. I am over in the states due to a sick family member (not Covid related) and it’s amazing to see from this side how people are just going on with their lives without fear, children playing in school fields, soccer games etc and no one is freaking out. Yes, some cases but nothing drastic and learning that most those cases are unvaccinated adults and teenagers. Doctors pulling their hair out trying to convince adults to get vaccinated, it will save your life. But I guess a few just want to find out the hard way. One patient actually begged to be vaccinated and hopefully if he gets better will when it’s allowable. People, there is nothing more this Government can do but give you the facts, get vaccinated, stay healthy and wear a mask when required.

    • Anonymous says:

      Well said!!! My children have been back in school since August 2020 and schools have never had to shut down….not even one day! We had sports, plays, concerts, dances, etc.

      Last year, they had to wear masks and we got emails letting us know if someone in the class tested positive. If a child was considered a “close contact” (ie within 6 feet for more than 15 minutes without a mask) the school called to let you know so you could keep them home OR get them tested and return if negative.

      This year, no mandatory masks and no “close contact” calls but we still get the email to let us know if positive case in a class. No need to stay home from school unless symptomatic or test positive…..even if others in home are positive. Our district of almost 50,000 students has had almost 3,000 positive cases since August with not one child being seriously ill. Most were almost asymptomatic….including my own child. We currently have 185 active cases in the whole district which is 0.39% of student population.

      There is no need to panic about kids just because they’re unvaccinated. If it helps your anxiety, have them wear masks.

  25. Anonymous says:

    The government has said that it is considering advice from the UK on its open the borders policy – This is what their Health Secretary told their Parliament today –

    “The British health secretary, Sajid Javid, has said the government may need to reintroduce mandatory face masks and advise the public to work from home, as he set out the government’s plans for coping with Covid in England through the autumn and winter.”

    • Anonymous says:

      How does this help Cayman?

      • Anonymous says:

        It is telling Cayman to take it in stride and not go into a panic. Wear a mask when you can’t social distance and get a vaccine. No need for lockdowns or quarantine. Go on with life. Live with covid and follow the protocols.

    • Anonymous says:

      Misleading. Put this in context, this is what Javid said in case of another significant wave. He was just outlining a contingency plan. This is not the base case if things continue as they are now.

  26. Anonymous says:

    Mauritius dropped quarantine requirements about 3 weeks ago. This is the headline there today

    “Mauritius is battling an explosion of coronavirus cases. Hospitals are overwhelmed, ventilators in short supply and cemeteries are running out of space.”

    That is not what I want for my people.

    • Anonymous says:

      Closing down a school- over reaction.
      Stop the panic.
      Learn to live with Covid.
      Get vaccinated. Follow protocols. No need to quarantine or lockdown. Only quarantine the one w/ Covid. Geez.

      • Anonymous says:

        You obviously didn’t read the comment you replied to

      • Anonymous says:

        You’re an idiot! in case you have not noticed, COVID was reintroduced to our society by a vaccinated person who qualified for 5-day quarantine. If that doesn’t prove that quarantine is necessary regardless of vaccination status then you’re in denial. But then again, who would want to think that they’ve run for the jab for nothing.

        • Anonymous says:

          Prove it.

        • Anonymous says:

          Covid was reintroduced to our society by a vaccinated person who qualified for 5-Day quarantine. I don’t know when they arrived. Nor whether the person is male or female. Nor age, nor nationality. Nor name, nor where he / she quarantined, or live, work. But I’m stating a fact.

          • Anonymous says:

            You don’t know crap. I have it on excellent authority that Covid was out in the community three weeks ago. You have no idea how it got there. Any guess is simply that: a guess.

        • Anonymous says:

          1:21 Even Dr Lee had stated they don’t know what the source is….yet.

          It is way more likely that the source is someone that “traveled” illegally (ie by drug boat to/from Jamaica) than a vaccinated traveler that quarantined.

    • Anonymous says:

      Yes, a nation with only 60% vaccination rate had the misfortune of reporting 1 death of someone who had covid yesterday. In a country of 1.266m people. And cases are falling already, being half the number of the post relaxation peak.

    • Anonymous says:

      There are a huge amount of people who live on island without health insurance, what are they to do when they get sick? And it’s these people who wont be able to afford their hospital bills after getting sick. Man government is making a massive mistake by opening boarders. People will get sick, not many more will get vaccinated.

      • Anonymous says:

        Perhaps past governments should have done some work of revamping health insurance rather than wasting millions on projects to line the pockets of their own already wealthy buddies.

    • Practical Joe says:

      Death total is 45 people out of 750000. High vaccination rate.

      We will probably see the same here but very few will die as horrible as that even 1 may be. I might be that 1 just as likely as you.

      The reality is this is a global disease that you will contract eventually. Right now you stand possibly the best chance at a good future which might be worse in the long run if we stay locked up in a bubble.

      K

  27. Anonymous says:

    There is a good chance that this spread is a result of introducing the 5 day quarantine for vaxxed people. Bermuda has been finding quite a number of fully vaxxed people who only test positive on day 10. Remember the incubation period of both vaxxed and unvaxxed is 14 days.

    • Smarten Up says:

      This.

      FACT: 14 day incubation period is 14 days. It is not 5 days. It is not 10 days.

      FACT: Virus doesn’t care if one is vaccinated or not. It is non-discriminatory.

      FACT: Virus can be spread by both vaccinated and unvaccinated.

      Smarten up authorities.

      • driftwood says:

        your statements are FAKE news. The virus does care if your vaccinated see CDC site:

        “Covid-19 vaccines are effective and are a critical tool to bring the pandemic under control. However, no vaccines are 100% effective at preventing illness. Some fully vaccinated people will get sick, and some will even be hospitalized or die from COVID-19. However, there is evidence that vaccination may make illness less severe for those who are vaccinated and still get sick. The risk of infection, hospitalization, and death are all much lower in vaccinated compared to unvaccinated people.”

        https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/covid-19/health-departments/breakthrough-cases.html

        stop the misinformation

        • Smarten Up says:

          Get a clue driftwood.

          Those who have been jabbed contract and pass along COVID.

          I know you wish it were not so but it is.

          Face reality.

      • Anonymous says:

        Either make it 14 days, or get rid of the quarantine altogether. No point doing it half-assed.

    • Anonymous says:

      9.43 More likely a result of people who are lawless therefore don’t follow rules. Why are return flights full of persons not from here. Why are W/permits still being granted for thousands?

  28. Anonymous says:

    Relax people. Relax.

    Total COVID deaths in US under 18 years old to date is 412 (it is counted as a “COVID death” if a child dies and had COVID in the previous 28 days, not necessarily died because of COVID). There are 74 million people under 18 years in the US.

    Total COVID deaths in US over 65 years old, 502,000.

    This just is not a serious pathogen for children. It just isnt. 412 under 18 yrs, half a million over 65 yrs.

    Source:

    https://www.statista.com/statistics/1191568/reported-deaths-from-covid-by-age-us/

  29. Anonymous says:

    then what about the under 5’s???? and then?,,,,and then?….zzzz
    the danger with kids is bringing it home to parents and grand parents. nothing to worry about with our high vax rate.

    • Anonymous says:

      That’s why the parents and grandparents need to be vaccinated – problem solved. Everyone has had the chance to, so what’s the issue?

  30. Anonymous says:

    I’m not in favour of opening up the borders until the vaccination ratio is much higher BUT…this is absolutely crazy, if they are intent in opening our borders – then they just have to “let it rip” through the community and suffer the consequences….we cannot be disrupting schools, families and businesses (parents having to work from home etc.)….IF, and that is a BIG IF…..they are intent in opening up the borders.

    Again – please wait until the ratio of vaccinations is higher…yes, the selfish, unvaxxed would be allowed in that situation to hold back the entire Cayman Islands…but someone must protect them from their own “lack of knowledge”.

    • Anonymous says:

      No, we don’t need to protect them. It’s called personal responsibility – they have had the chance to get vaccinated, so the consequences are on them.

      • Anonymous says:

        But lets just say the unvaxxed gets sick and ends up in hospital and then hospital is overrun with sick unvaxxed Covid patients, then you get into a car accident and you can’t get the care you need because hospital is overrun. Their irresponsibility has now become YOUR problem…

        • Anonymous says:

          I think your hypothetical scenario is highly unlikely to occur, given our high vaccination rate in Cayman.

          • Anonymous says:

            Let’s hope so, but it illustrates well that the unvaxxed are selfish and not doing their part because why???

            • Anonymous says:

              And who pays when the vaxxed individual is poor and can’t afford health care? Are they selfish too?

    • Anonymous says:

      Let’s wait till Christmas. Oh, covid still here. No, wait till new year. Covid still here. Wait till next summer. Covid still here. Wait till 2023. Covid still here.

      No more waiting. Open the border. Get vaccinated.

  31. Anonymous says:

    Like the Red Bay phantom case? Someone cranked up the cycles on the machine again.

  32. Anonymous says:

    no big deal. especially with our high vaccination rates. isolate track and trace.
    kids are best adapted to deal with this.
    1 in 500k chance of death.
    many countries around the world have stopped testing sick kids as the risk to their health is so low.

  33. Anonymous says:

    That’s what you get for breaking quarantine. Community transmission had to happen anyway, it was inevitable and I am not caught up in the current panic. But to those who broke the law, this is what you have done to your community. Thanks

    • Anonymous says:

      I think it was just as likely that someone spread it after leaving quarantine than those breaking quarantine. Bermuda has several positive cases on day 10 – they test 3 days before, on arrival, day 4 and day 10, those that tested positive on day 10 had cleared all the other tests, and as we only test on day 5 it’s quite possible we missed a few.

  34. Anonymous says:

    Covid will still be around even if it’s possible to inoculate the entire planet, should we change path.

  35. Anonymous says:

    Yawn.

  36. Anonymous says:

    The risk to children is very low.

  37. Anonymous says:

    This has nothing to do with reopening. We haven’t opened yet and already have community spread. Makes no difference. it was inevitable

  38. Anonymous says:

    Covid is here to stay. Vaccine or not.

    Global and local powers need to Stop the bribery though, no for real just stop that legal grey area vaccine coaxing.

    We are individual humans born with choice, so read it and weap…scarecrows.

  39. Anonymous says:

    Cue the hyperbolic overreaction now…..

  40. Anonymous says:

    I’m off to buy more toilet paper!

  41. Anonymous says:

    The choice facing Cayman now is simple. Be exposed to the delta variant whilst vaccinated, or be exposed to the delta variant whilst unvaccinated.

    No-one will avoid this, least of all school children. If a child is over 12, get them vaccinated. Those under 12 will be waiting some time (years) before the vaccines are approved for their age group, so the delta variant is going to rip through the school age population like wild fire. Not a problem for kids, big problem for adults who are unvaccinated.

    So get vaccinated and CIG get the boosters rolled out asap

    • Anonymous says:

      Note that 5-12 year old kids start getting vaccinated in the US at the end of October.

      • Anonymous says:

        And I have some magic beans that you might be interested in purchasing.

      • Anonymous says:

        9:49, you are full of it! Under 12s are NOT close to getting vaccinated in the US. They’re even less close to it in the UK (which Cayman has to follow). The UK isn’t even recommending vaccines for 12-15 any more as risk for kids is so so so low.

  42. 🤯 says:

    Speaking about mass hysteria. An overkill!

  43. Anonymous says:

    “Anchorage [Alaska] School District revises COVID-19 protocols regarding asymptomatic close contacts”
    “…those who are considered close contacts to someone who tests positive for the virus that are not experiencing symptoms will no longer need to quarantine.”
    https://www.alaskasnewssource.com/2021/09/14/anchorage-school-district-revises-covid-19-protocols-regarding-asymptomatic-close-contacts/

  44. Anonymous says:

    School closing means parents at home with them. Parents at home means business that cannot survive without staff eg service industry will suffer with some becoming insolvent.

  45. Concerned says:

    This is what happens when a bunch of novice, inexperienced politicians try to fix what is not broken. Too late now, the virus is spreading like wildfire silently throughout the community, just a matter of time before we realize how bad it will get. Be prepared for some tough times ahead, there is a long way to go before infection peaks. Pity they didn’t leave the measures they found in place alone.

    • C'Mon Now! says:

      I don’t think you know what wildfire is…

      They are actively looking for virus with contact tracing and this is what we are finding.

      How many sick people are at the Hospital right now. Let’s wait and see what happens and rely on public health officials to manage this. With the high vax rate they might just surprise you.

  46. Anonymous says:

    It was inevitable but the reopening should have been delayed until ages 5-11 could get the shots. Spilled milk and all but children’s lives will be put at risk and government should be extremely careful with infections in children.

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