Opposition blames 5-day quarantine for COVID leaks
(CNS): The opposition has said government’s decision to cut the quarantine and isolation period is the cause of the community transmissions of COVID-19. In a statement on the PPM social media pages on Monday evening, Opposition Leader Roy McTaggart pointed to concerns that were raised in June by the party. But his comments echoed the sentiments of the former premier, Alden McLaughlin, who had already stated in social media groups last week when the first community acquired case was confirmed that the reduction in quarantine was the cause of the leak.
The former premier blamed PACT for introducing the five-day isolation period against technical advice, and said there were cases where people were testing positive for the virus as much as 17 days after entering quarantine. In a post in a social media group McLaughlin said reducing the quarantine period was “illogical and unsupported by the science”.
McTaggart, meanwhile, called on the current administration to reinstate the minimum ten days, after accusing them of cutting the isolation period to encourage wider vaccine take-up.
“I believe that the government introduced it to encourage more vaccinations. But given the re-emergence of community spread of the virus, it seems obvious to me that such a short quarantine period should be suspended and that we should revert to a minimum of 10 days for those vaccinated. This will help improve our ability to keep what COVID we have now in check,” McTaggart stated in his video message.
Despite previously calling for the PACT to open the borders completely in September, McTaggart is now urging government to delay the removal of quarantine measures until a vaccine is available for children, as he said things had changed with the Delta variant.
See McTaggart’s statement below:
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Category: Politics
Cayman will not survive what it has done to fight Covid. They were never really smart about anything so far. Can’t wait for the new owners.
But didn’t the cases emerge before we’d had 5 days from September 9? So how can this be the reason?
We had such a good thing going. Covid free for more than a year. Amazing!! Everyone should be thankful that we didn’t have lockdown after lockdown like most countries, and businesses could stay open. Stop whining about opening up and tourism coming back. We are in the midst of a global pandemic, tourism and especially cruise ship tourism are and will be dead for a while. That’s reality for all countries no matter if they are open or not. If you live here and want to leave for a holiday then do it for Gods sake no one is holding you back. It’s very selfish and stupid to cry for opening up, because if you have just a little bit of brains you would see that the result is a wave of Covid, which brings safety measures, closures and lockdown. Open your eyes, it happens in every single country in this world. And we are definitely not equipped to handle a wave. We don’t even have neighboring countries that could help us. Quarantine back to 14 days with geofencing for everyone. Thanks for keeping us and our children safe and free
You weren’t covid free. Get that thru your heads. You have 772 cases. That is not covid free. If you didn’t buy into this covid free crap all along and got tested the last 18months when people had “allergies, colds and sinus infections” wink, wink……you would have realized that it was covid in the community all along. It took that elderly lady who went to the hospital and who got tested and came back with a positive covid test and then contact tracing was done. Contract testing was done in the school and 17 ? Cases showed up.Other people started to panic and get tested. It has been and is in the community. Cayman is not some special place in the world that has been covid free. You have had cases, but people listened to so much covid free hype and dismissed the possible chance that all those sniffles, coughs and fever could have ever possibly been covid. Now you are finding out…it was covid.
You don’t seem to be living here, or you would know that every single day during the covid free year a high number of PCR tests were taken.
Also the number of infected people you’re referring to are mostly in quarantine. Which makes sense as the numbers of new infections in the countries where flights come from are going up again. I know it is sth to be jealous about. Covid free for a year. And hopefully we get back to that. There’s other countries who follow a zero covid strategy.
just stop blaming each other for once maybe??????
Mr. Roy is that the best you could come out with ? Try so help, along with everybody else regarless of party affiliation. We talking about country and people. Election not till 3 1/2 years from now. You all have family and future generations.
Mr Roy are right, the 5 days quartantine caused it. It should been 10 days.
Politics aside, he and they are completely correct about the reduction in the quarantine period to 5 days was totally daft, illogical and against all scientific advice . Add to this the fact that people just aren’t taking the self quarantining seriously then we have what we have- widespread community transmission.
The fact that a child was sent to school whilst clearly ill ( only to be tested at school that same day and turn out positive) shows how daft /selfish and irresponsible people (parents in this case) are.
Wayne Panton has now agreed that 5 day quarantine is too short and has extended it. Problem is he has moved it to only 7 days. Sigh… if he doesn’t learn then I guess we will have to feel.
It seems to me that if the 5 day quarantine was the real problem we would have had positive people in the community with recent travel history!
The fact that we have not found anyone in the community who is positive AND has a recent travel history tells me that Roy is completely wrong. That is a simple FACT.
Unfortunately it is virtually certain that the spread occurred because of selfish people breaking the quarantine rules by visiting people inside the quarantine locations!
the problem we would have had community spread earlier and
Roy has never let facts hinder him.
Go home, Roy! You’re wasting everyone’s time.
Obviously playing petty politics here. Roy knows damn well you can’t keep the quarantine forever and I suspect all party members know covid will be waiting for us for a very very long time. Maybe forever.
This is absolutely ridiculous … it has been 5-day quarantine from JUNE … it’s the quarantine without checks and balances in place i.e. geotagging AND the clandestine activities which people cannot speak about which makes contact testing impossible in a very small country which has led to this panic reaction from the government.
The 5 day quarantine came into effect in August. I believe it was the first or second week of August. The intention of a 5 day quarantine mandate was shared with the public as early as June but it did not take effect until August.
Wow, says the same party who were calling for the border-reopening.
@11:09..yep and without quarantine..can’t make this $hit up.
Roy you are now irrelevant. Please be quiet.
15 @ 8:56 am – Actually, as Leader of the Opposition Roy McTaggart is very relevant! How little you know!
Our Westminster model of Government requires the Opposition’s involvement to keep governance balanced!
For you to wish an Opposition leader to “be quiet” shows how little people like you understand governance. He would be a worthless Opposition leader if he followed your advice!
Perhaps you should be quiet?
Puppets have no relevance.
there are some serious decisions to be made regarding the
virus and no matter which way they go someone will not be happy but everyone is an expert. the country now has 70%+ vacinated we now need to protect those who for whatever reason is not vacinated. dont get excited there will be bumps in this road.
Roy, please stop playing politics with this virus. People are hurting and you are not helping with these contradictory yarns. Your party sold the islands to foreign millionaires, please stop at the people.
As for Mr Opposition Leader you are really turning out to be a perfect puppet for ALDart. Come on now tell him/ them to stop pushing you or you will implode 🧐
Roy’s cross he was denied the zoom call ☎️
All they had to do was control the quarantine and not let anybody self quarantine.
If government had controlled it we wouldn’t be seeing this now plus anybody on a permit or PR had to get the vaccination if you want to make this your home do the right thing
We have to stop going against each other, FEAR and medical segregation is causing us to divide. We need to all work together to stop this virus. This includes alternative options to the vaccine to get us out of this mess. There are many proven early intervention protocols being used around the globe that stop the virus in its tracks. Look at India and Mexico. In as much as there is only one narrative “get the vaccine” it is NOT going to stop covid. Look at what is happening in Israel. This will always be in the world, it will never go away as it will continue to mutate (as the flu does every year). We need to be more creative and combat this from a 360 degree perspective rather than just this one sided narrative. If we continue to vilify each other this will never end. Unity is needed, not division.
Thank you.
Respect.
It’s always been like that…except when they did the status give away and the recent port debacle…..everyone had lists with the status and everyone got a piece with the proposed port.
We do indeed have to learn to live with the virus. Living as hermits in a world where we are dependent on global community just isn’t viable. We know all the examples, but just one is our future generation of leaders getting proper university/college educations so they can figure out their place in Cayman and that global community. Just as we live with flu in the community, we need to adapt to Covid. Vaccinations are key and we’re well placed to take the next steps, if not now then surely relatively soon.
Thank you for your post.
Quarantine is the end to any tourism. Whether you want tourism or not, with a quarantine in place, it ends it. It also ends different airlines coming in so prices stay high on the 2 airlines that do fly.
OK and? How many deaths are acceptable for you?
How many people with the “long covid”?
Can I have a number, a target?
As long as it’s less than X number then I am fine?
What happens if you find out that someone close to you ends up being one of that unfortunate statistic?
Or is that fine by you as long as you get cheap tickets?
How many job losses are acceptable to you?
How many missed weddings, missed funerals, missed births are acceptable to you?
How much do you value the ability to smile and interact with others without your face been covered up?
How much do you value children being able to stay in school?
How much do you value the ability to travel to see family and friends around the world?
How many suicides are acceptable to you?
How much depression and anxiety are acceptable to you?
All the above are exacerbated not by Covid, but by hysterical measures put in place to protect us from it.
Since when has been keeping people alive at all costs become the only societal goal we have? If that’s the case let’s stop driving cars, outlaw fast food & smoking and mandate exercise.
I’m happy with a certain amount of risk of death as that is the cost of living and doing the things I enjoy doing that give my life meaning.
I’m tired of being infantilised by silly rules made up by people with a little consideration to the societal collateral damage that these rules cause.
8:04 am I get your point, you’ve articulated it anonymously of course . Your choices are there you person you can suck it up and stay for the ride or if you’re able to and willing to go to a higher risk environment , do so. There have not been any mandates issued that you have to stay and abide by the protocols so your exit by water or by air not only will not be hindered nor will it be a monumental occurrence.
To stay or not to stay is the question that all who are against vaccination, masks etc need to be pondering. Don’t take too long ya hear!!
I don’t know why people are behaving like they are held hostage. There are flights out of here daily. Hop on one to a destination that is coping with Covid to your liking. Maybe even return to your home countries for those of you who have that option. You do not HAVE to stay here.
CIG and all its minions will not last too much longer as they spend their way into massive debt. After they are gone from power the ones with the intelligence and money will fill in nicely and locals can try to get work in the UK. I bet they love Caymanians there.
Is this English?
So what everyone, including the government, said would happen when we start opening is happening.
And the government panics.
Doesn’t make sense.
7:29 – only the government panicked?
Roy and crew went from demanding we open on September 1 to wailing for a strict 14 day quarantine for both the vaxxed and unvaxxed!
Who did you say panicked?
Given your previous stance, do you realize how stupid this makes you seem?
https://caymannewsservice.com/2021/07/mctaggart-goes-on-pact-attack/
“McTaggart also said the 80% target for national vaccination would be impossible to achieve. He argued for a set date for full border reopening in September even in the face of concerns about the resurgence of the virus due to the more infectious variants.”
It’s been in the community from day 1 guys, people just haven’t bothered getting tested. That women last week only found out as she went in for another non-Covid related issue.
Old man continues to yell at clouds…
Tune in tomorrow when he demands the dang teanagers get off his lawn.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=toL1tXrLA1c
Pay attention to what is happen in Bermuda right now. Don’t become so compliance and think it could happen here people.
For now, at least, limit your movements, wear masks in super spreader places, social distance yourself in such places and yes get your vaccine shots like yesterday.
So we shouldn’t comply? OK 🙂
What an idiot!
You can’t stop the virus it is here on the planet forever.
The rest rest of the world is opening up as has the Caribbean.
Going backwards due to fear.
Tourism finished.
Pretty much.
You both better leave pronto! You don’t want to stay here to watch the chaos! Send us a postcard!
It can be stopped and most likely will
Ganja boat in NS was the source!!
No, it wasn’t. Stop being ridiculous.
You seem sure. That’s funny because the rumour is very specific.
Seems like covid has killed some people’s sense of humour.
It is being widely speculated as this and I’ve been told it is a VERY LIKELY possibility given the players in this case!
What a KilRoy
he is right…5 days was nonsense and a recipe for communinity transmission.
but what is the new ppm plan? remember they were the ones who said we should be fully open by 1st Sept…
Think Cayman has had community spread for quite sometime, but people didn’t realize it and therefore didn’t go to hospital and get tested. How many people had summer colds, sinus infection, allergies? Think back. Yeah. It’s been in the community for quite some time. Took the elderly lady to get tested in hospital and then people became hyper vigilant.
Now, little Johnny no longer has a summer cold or allergies and maybe he should be tested. Bingo… positive- Covid!
Nothing new! It’s been here.
Why don’t we have FREE home Covid test kits like the UK? Easy=15 minutes and kids go to school!!!
Agree with you 6:34!
Vaccinated persons are having very mild symptoms (if any). So, with an extremely high vaccination rate like Cayman has, there has very likely been numerous cases that were undetected.
My child (fully vaccinated) goes to a school with many Covid cases and she had a very slight stuffy nose last week. Being proactive and considerate of others, we got her tested and she was positive! Two days later, her stuffy nose was gone and no other symptoms ever started.
My usual allergy congestion is WAY worse than what she had. I even was in an allergy flair up when I got her tested so I asked to be tested too……tested negative. I’m now wondering if I’ve already had it but had no clue. I will get antibody testing done to investigate.
The Opposition Leader said things had changed since June and the Government or Opposition recommending an opening date. Things change and your decisions may also need to change. I agree with him.
We need to move forwards not backwards.
And forward means at some point we will have to expose ourselves to Covid.
Pointless them saying anything. All they did was sell-off Cayman to the highest bidder. Good riddance.
Roy with the Ploy
Stop flights from Jamaica!
Stop the flights from everywhere.
That’s what is being done with keeping a quarantine.
Borders should open w/ Covid protocols in place. Quarantine hasn’t worked and it’s not tourists who it didn’t work for. It doesn’t work for residents either. Honestly.
Vaccine. Wear mask when you can’t social distance. Wash your hands. Don’t stress. Covid is here.
I blame idiots visiting people in quarantine for the Covid leaks.
yes and they should be charged.
The domino players? Yeah right.
Can’t charge locals in Cayman.
You’re not helping Roy…go back to sleep.
Can Roy shut up please?
No because his boss Alden will demote him unless he does what he is told.
No sense in bashing; we just have to protect ourselves at individual level and carry on.
He would have done the same thing. I am losing respect for Roy and the PPM with this whole charade.
Agreed, during their tenure they had complete support of the opposition in order to implement the difficult lock down. Now all he and his gang are doing is trying to gain cheap political points by criticizing the current government on any decision made. Stay woke Cayman.
So Roy was off island about a month ago. He was vaxxed.
Did Roy voluntarily quarantine for 14 days upon return to Cayman even though he was only required to for 5?
I would bet not.. But i guess we have to agree from the Data that Vax or unVax persons should have the same length time quarantine at the most abundance of caution, however other countries have 0 days quarantine for Vax persons coming from countries that are “low risk” or demined safe areas. It is so very dynamic and hard to counter this virus that there is no real ‘fix-all’. Everyone just needs to follow protocols and consider if the Vaccine, which no doubts gives some form of protection from COVID, is the right thing for them to do! Or they seek a natural alternative and be extra careful and sanitary!. Some persons have legitimate reasons not to take it, but for the most part we should implore our people to consider that a vaccinated person is far less likely to become gravely ill, or build-up/develop enough viral load to spread to others. IF YOU ARE VACCINATED OR NOT, TRAVELED OR WAS IN CONTACT WITH SOMEONE THAT TRAVELED, AND FEEL EVEN THE SLIGHTEST SYMPTOMS, PLEASE BE RESPONSIBLE, STAY HOME/ISOLATED, LET THE FLU HOT LINE 1-800-534-8600 or 925-6327 KNOW , GET TESTED!
I would LOVE to know this answer.
Hey Roy? Since you do not agree with it did you stay quarantined for 14 days???
I only came for the comments. He is a blowhard and irrelevant to anything. Merely struggling to find anything to disagree with as ‘opposition’.
Roy, read what the people are saying here.
Keep it up Roy. I’ll get the popcorn.
Roy is correct. Wayne tried to defy science! How arrogant can you get ?
Nonsense.
And Alden along with his mouthpieces want back in power. What else is new?
Honorable Alden, please get back in charge as only you and Honorable Seymour can save us!
Save us from what? Full moon madness or a stampeded of donkeys!
@6:31
CNS you really need to install a “lol” button for comments like these.
Why bother writing about these useless losers….they raped our economy for 8 years and now are mouthing off about things they supported in the past. Roy you are pathetic man.
Gonzo is back at it again. I’ll think his feelings are still hurt he didn’t get to be premier
Honestly, it just might be. But in 5 days?! Come on guys, we’re not that stupid or gullible. Like the Opposition are saying it could have been someone after doing their 15 day quarantine who got Covid on the 17th day, we know at that point they would not have required a test.
I do think quarantine has to be done in Cayman, regardless.
I also think that contact tracing needs to be as in depth as possible and done quickly.