Result pending on suspect COVID community case
(CNS): The Health Services Authority (HSA) is awaiting the test result from a local resident who was admitted to the George Town Hospital on Wednesday evening with symptoms associated with the coronavirus (COVID-19). The patient has no travel history and conclusive results are expected to be returned later today. Officials said that the first responders who have come into contact with the person are being isolated. News of this suspected case comes after the health minister revealed yesterday that there were 54 breaches of isolation protocols last month.
In an early morning press release Premier Wayne Panton confirmed that all the necessary safety protocols were being implemented in connection with this suspect case.
“While we keenly await confirmation of the test results from the HSA, I’d like to reassure the public that all of the necessary testing, protective protocols, and precautions have been implemented,” he said. “As we have always done, we will be guided by the science and take the necessary steps to protect the safety of our people.”
Officials, who have not yet revealed the vaccination status of the patient, said that more information will be provided following the outcome of the testing.
During yesterday’s press briefing Health Minister Sabrina Turner said the Travel Cayman team dealt with 54 potential breaches of COVID-19 isolation protocols of varying degrees during the month of August, 20 of whom are being investigated by police. Turner was not able to say how many of the breaches were committed by people isolating on trust but many were related to deliveries.
Medical Officer of Health Dr Samuel Williams-Rodriguez said that in every case the HSA is undertaking tracing and testing. He told CNS that he did not believe the virus had leaked into the community, despite the high number of reported contacts between people in isolation and those in the community. However, those isolating on trust could have breached protocols without the knowledge of the authorities.
If this case proves positive, it will be Cayman’s first community transmission in more than 14 months and is almost certain to stall the 14 October target date to lift some quarantine requirements, which was already on shaky ground.
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Category: Health, Medical Health
There is nothing to worry about. We should look at the US and Uk as our guidance. What do we know from them:
1) The vaccines are 100% safe and work
2) If you re vaccinated you are not going to end up in hospital or dead (very very very tiny little chance of it).
We have free vaccines from the Uk whilst other countries are begging to pay triple the original cost for them. So relax – we are fine.
As long as we prevent vaccinated from the unvaccinated, there is nothing to be concerned about.
If your vaccinated you are not going to end up in hospital?? – Tell that to the fully vaxxed person currently in our hospital with Covid.
Who?
You’re vaccinated
6:31 She is already a housebound unhealthy person. Not valid argument.
She is probably in hospital more due to her age and underlying issues than due to covid.
My father used to get dehydrated. The first thing every doctor would say is that if he was not elderly that the condition would not require hospitalization, but because of his age they wanted him to be closely monitored.
I am double vaxxed and any early adopter – but you cannot say any vaccine is 100% safe and works 100% of the time, they do not – 85% to 95% efficacy certainly, but not 100%. Should people get vaccinated – OF COURSE THEY SHOULD – just follow the science and facts.
Let the social media witch doctors and high stepping screaming anti-vaxx preachers be the ones to spread the misinformation…….
I’m getting really fed up now with all the comments that just say we have to open up and just ‘live with it’. Don’t you get it yet? There are millions of people who can’t just live with it – because they are bloody dead. It kills people.
Anyone who has an underlying health condition can feel utterly terrified of having covid in the community. I have a heart condition and an autoimmune disease. I’ll probably live just fine for another 30 years, but if I get covid I may likely die.
I don’t want to die. I don’t want covid here. What is so difficult to understand about that? Don’t tell me to just live with it, because I’m literally scared for my life that I won’t live with it – I’ll die with it.
I have family members who have died overseas and two other family members who are disabled due to the effects of what they suffered during covid hospitalization. Even if you live, it can be life-altering and disabling.
I don’t wish this on a single member of our community. Me included.
AMEN! Thank you !!!
Have you been vaccinated?
Haven’t you heard? The young people have spoken: the old and sick don’t count. Be sure to take care of them in your will though!
I’ve always wondered what this demographic is. You’d have to rich and probably old to not worry about long term financial ruin. You’d have to be extremely selfish not to worry about the long term well being of others. You’d probably have to be an atheist to have this much fear of death, paricularly a death that you can defend yourself in so many ways including a vaccine. I think you may need to see a psychiatrist and read the bible.
GAB staff are all mostly wearing masks today as someone from the building tested positive for Covid. God help us all.
and I am sure that they are mostly unvaccinated
Each person has a right to choose. Some persons do not get to choose as their medical doctor determined that they are high risk for blood clots or severe allergic reactions. What do you do, tell them that despite them already taken medication to address their blood cloting disorder, high potential to bleed out or whatever proven allergies they have to get vaccinated only to die as the mmra vaccine did what your doctor warned you against????? Its not fair to put all of the unvaccinated in the same basket. I believe most would choose to be protected from covid than to keep themselves a high risk target!
SORRY – this “right to chose” BS…you do not have a right to chose which side of the road you drive in – for the sake of society – you MUST drive on the left hand side of the road in the Cayman Islands – no “ifs, and or buts”…
This analogy is not even in the same level of comparison.
Apples vs Oranges.
Not even close mate
Wrong!
Over 70% of Civil Servants are fully vaccinated.
@3:45 – please don’t spread lies and mis-information. Nobody from GAB has tested positive for COVID.
The staff member is in quarantine as part of the contact tracing of the 70yr old. Will have to wait the 14 days before finding if they had Covid.
Meanwhile PACT clearly has no clue regarding the cost to the country if we drop quarantine and have wave after wave of community transmission. Sadly, that was not part of the talking notes provided to them by CITA and so PACT had nothing to say on that subject.
This may not be the only isolated case in the community. It was reported only because the patient is hospitalized. There sure seems to be a lot of cover up.
Last week one of the big private organization, whose primary job is servicing the public, were closed for a day without giving any reason. Was COVID the reason, that was covered up, because the person didn’t need hospitalization?
Wait until Oct 14th 2021. This is the day life changes for all of us. How does that saying go again. You can’t out the genie back into the bottle.
Well once we start down this road it’s going to be sheer chaos. Delta passes so quickly and efficiently it’s going to be next to impossible to track. We are going to have cases popping up all over the place.
And 42 beds is a joke. I would believe 3 weeks until we have zero left.
I am pulling my child from school the very first case I hear. I take zero chances.
Agreed!
How do we know this is not just Kenny using his scare tactics again?
Because it’s idiots breaking rules not an idiot spouting bs.
Why was there no discussion yesterday of the comparative economic cost to the country of dropping quarantine including hospitalisations, lost wages, deaths, etc.? Possibly because the government does not have a lobby group feeding them numbers??
I heard nothing but platitudes regarding the health of our children yesterday. In the US this is what is going on:
“More than 250,000 children had new cases in the last week of August, the American Academy of Pediatrics said in a report published on Tuesday. That’s the highest weekly rate of new pediatric cases since the pandemic began, and it’s a 10% increase in two weeks.
Children’s hospitals are straining under the spike in cases. About 2,500 children were hospitalized with Covid-19 in the week up to 6 September, which is also more than ever before, data from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows.
Over the course of the pandemic, at least 444 have died, the AAP said.”
Thats is equivalent to less than 1 child being hospitalized in Cayman on per capita basis.
There are over 70 million children in the United States…..
Exactly. Literally none if not miniscule risk to children. Stop the fear.
one every week or two that is. No worries as long as it is not your child.
You all gonna have heart attacks.
Which is fine as long as it isn’t yours
Have a child? What if it’s yours? How you feel about the numbers now?
Thing is ch!t never gets real to people until it’s their own.
For some reason dying from the vaccines is okay, as long as it is not yours.
4:27 Yes. Have a child. Child already had Covid. No issues.
1:21pm: Why didn’t you post the rest of the article where it states that serious illness or hospitalization are both still very UNCOMMON in children?
Of course cases are up at the end of August, MILLIONS of kids went back to school.
My kids school has had lots of cases in the last month……barely any symptoms in vaccinated kids and minor cold symptoms in unvaccinated kids. My own fully vaccinated kid has had it and we only found out because we tested due to known exposure. Symptoms were completely unremarkable.
“Vaccine passports to be introduced in Scotland. People in Scotland will need proof they have been fully vaccinated in order to attend nightclubs and mass events in Scotland from 1 October.”
With community transmission starting it is time for Cayman to introduce the same measures.
With data showing that vaccines do not prevent a person from catching or transmitting the Delta or Mu variants, vaccine passports are an unscientific idea at best.
Maybe “un-Facebook scientific” but it is valid science which is why the credible scientists in every country recommend them.
Because they want to keep their jobs
Oh for gods sake Cayman…. Relax. I can tell you that people arent walking around petrified in the US, Canada, UK etc with COVID in the community.
107,000 people went to the University of Michigan home opener football game this weekend. Tonight’s NFL kickoff game in Tampa will be in a packed stadium. Broadway shows are opening this month.
Time to move on. We have had around 750 confirmed cases in Cayman since March 2020, and with non-tested cases in early days, probably around 1,000 infections. There have been a small handful of hospitalizations, mostly in the pre-vaccine days.
Sadly, pre-COVID, elderly persons with co-morbidities who contracted seasonal influenza that progressed to viral pneumonia have ended up in the hospital.
Right – all American decisions regarding Covid management have been perfect so the decision to have tens of thousands of people in close quarters could not possibly result in a Covid surge in a few weeks.
You are one of those in denial thinking that COVID will be gone globally in 6 months, and then we can blissfully open up with no worry in sight.
A zero COVID policy is NOT sustainable in the long term. There would be community transmission if open up in October; or in December; or in March 2022, or in summer 2022. Dont understand why some of you cant get this through your thick skulls.
Time to move on…..get vaccinated to best protect yourself.
As the fully vaxxed person who posted at 1:36 I was merely commenting on the inane post at 1:14. I do not believe that Covid will be gone in 6 months. I am sure that it will be killing long after that. However, the fact that a large number of people chose to crowd together during a Covid pandemic is proof of nothing other than the need to look elsewhere for rational behaviour.
Agree but for some reason there are a lot of uneducated caymanians who think covid will
Magically disappear one day and we can keep it out. So stupid – it’s never going away. Live with it.
There are also a lot of uneducated people saying it will be with us forever, but fail to provide or cite any evidence.
The last coronavirus in 1918 was still found in mutations 100 years later. That good enough for you?
And Canada…..I guess they opened to vaccinated only except for under 12’s and have found a 0.02% rate of positives.
We need to open one day and the virus is not going away.
Madam: “Oh for God’s sake Cayman…Relax: I did not note any statistics on deaths. You strike me as someone who has not been vaccinated.
This is no time to relax—that is what is causing the problem right now. We are becoming complacent. The Govt may need to re-introduce the Covid tracking bracelet.
Here are some death statistics to chew on — from venerable Forbes Magazine date Wednesday, 8t September, 2021:
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.forbes.com/sites/joewalsh/2021/09/08/us-just-surpassed-650000-covid-deaths-these-8-states-have-the-highest-fatality-rates/amp/
Absolutely right!
I am a “sir” and not a “madam”. And I have been double vaxxed since March. Like 70% plus of us have, in anticipation of the long-promised opening up.
Throw all of the stats around you want, but people in North America and Europe are moving on, learning to live with this, like we should. I can tell you that my colleagues in NY and Toronto are. They are not obsessed and panicked. They just arent — its been 18 months and counting.
You have been in the bubble too long. COVID is not going away (its just not), and sooner or later, we have to open up. What magically is going to happy in 6 months? No more cases in the US??
@ 1:48
Firstly, Forbes was bought by Integrated Whale Media Investments a few years ago. Perhaps take a look at that group before you venerate Forbes.
Secondly, According to the National Institute of Health (which Dr. Anthony Fauci is the head of) global annual flu deaths are as high as 650’000 per year with illnesses in the US alone as high as 45 million per year.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6815659/#:~:text=Until%20recently%2C%20the%20World%20Health%20Organization%20%28WHO%29%20estimated,lower%20respiratory%20tract%20infections%20directly%20caused%20by%20influenza.
https://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/burden/index.html
So 3:35 pm: I don’t think it is either/or—according to your reasoning since the flu kills as obviously as Covid or more, we shouldn’t worry about Covid. There has been for long time an annual call for people to take up the flu vaccine, and people do.
Let us protect ourselves against both pathogens given that we have vaccines against both.
According to your statistics, anyway, GLOBAL flu deaths are 650,000, while according to Forbes the US Covid deaths alone are now more than 650,000.
I don’t think you have a leg to stand on.
And to the poster about Forbes Magazine, I am sure that Forbes continues to maintain the high standards that have made it such a coveted buy.
I just saw an ad on Facebook that Dr. Tomlinson has joined up with the antivaxxers to hold a meeting to encourage more of this foolishness.
Dr. Tomlinson, I have always respected and expected better. To go sit on a platform with a bunch of antivaxxers has just moved him in my opinion from respected to ignorant and irresponsible,
He wants us all now to take the Chinese Vaccine. Well maybe he should get all of those antivaxxers to take it.. let’s see how that will work out.
12:47 pm: If this is true, I say Shame on Dr. Tomlinson, as a man of science he needs to play a pivotal ole in influencing the community to do the right thing–and that can only be to get vaccinated unless there are some extenuating circumstances based on which there may be sound medical advice. If you have doubts, talk to a legitimate doctor.
But I will tell you that my cousin in Canada, who is in her late 70s, has bleeding lungs from a prior infection, and even her doctor has advised that she should get the vaccine.
Just so I understand. He’s an anti-Vaxxer who wants us to take the Chinese vaccine?
The Chinese vaccine is still better than nothing. I’d be fine with it personally as long as the holdouts actually get the shots before they get the virus.
It is not entirely clear that it is significantly better than nothing – just ask the people in the Seychelles.
That’s odd I read the same thing and didn’t see anti-vaxxer anywhere. I am vaccinated and I would like to hear what Dr T has to say and applaud his efforts to at least present other options.
Great news coming out of the UK today:
“The medicines regulator has confirmed that booster jabs are “safe and effective”, paving the way for the Government’s vaccine committee to approve a rollout.
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) updated its guidance for AstraZeneca and Pfizer vaccines on Thursday to include information on third doses.
It states that Pfizer boosters can be given to anyone, regardless of which doses they had previously. However, AstraZeneca boosters will only be given to those who previously had the Oxford-made jab.”
Boosters incoming, just in time for October 14 reopening – we will be very well protected against Delta. Lockdown the unvaccinated and lets get going and learn to live with Covid – the vaccines protect us.
We wont open October 14th….they are going to push this a few more months. Too many weasel words yesterday, giving them cover to defer (like COVID will magically disappear globally in a few months).
I have been double vaxxed since March. If we arent opening in October (and I doubt we will) and there is no community transmission, I will hold off on the booster. Kind of pointless if Im not going to encounter the virus in the next 6 months. I will wait to get boosted closer to the time when I will travel off the island.
Great news coming out of Israel this week!
“This weekend Prof. Salman Zarka, Israel’s COVID-19 health czar, “called for the country” to prepare for their “fourth doses of the” Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine, as the third booster shot is already predicted to fail.
Despite Israel’s infection rate continuing to soar as the country has already administered a third injection of the Pfizer vaccine to 2.5 million Israelis, who risked losing their freedom of movement and association, doled out to the vaccinated via their totalitarian “green pass” health passport, Zarka says that the virus will not be beat and a fourth dose will soon be required. Given that that the virus is here and will continue to be here, we also need to prepare for a fourth injection,” Salman Zarka told Kan public radio, as reported by the Times of Israel.”
I see you get your information from that wonderful science journal “Muck Rake” – I know, I know, real science is too hard to understand so some people need to read what they can understand.
There has to be some fair and reasonable consequences for those refusing the vaccine. As well as the current restrictions (unvaccinated won’t be able to travel abroad as most countries restrict them or have long quarantine periods), I propose the below as a balanced solution:
1. If unvaccinated and get COVID, you pay for your ICU care. Also, you are bottom of the list and behind anyone vaccinated needing hospital care for other illnesses non-COVID related
2. Vaccine passports in nightclubs and other indoor venues in England will be required at the end of this month – let’s do the same. using the new HSA vaccine app verification, alphabet days for unvax, one hour slots for supermarkets and banks. No entry to bars, restaurants, cinema etc.
3. As unvaxed spread it more and more likely to catch it, and put us all at harm, they must wear masks whenever outside their home and stay 2 metres distance from any non-household members. Big fines if caught not doing so.
It seems like humanity is going out the window and science fiction is playing out like a movie. What planet are you living on? If it was your grandmother and she was advised against getting the vaccine due to medical issues would you have her pay? There is already a dirty little word embedded in our laws called discretion. Who then uses their discretion in this instance and will it be fair? You can still spread the disease even if you are vaccinated so passports makes no sense. Everyone needs to wear a mask until we reach herd immunity.
I got my vaccine but still have compassion for those who can’t or don’t believe in taking it for whatever reason.
Overheard by my wife in her office:
Baby Boomer: Older people are at risk. The vaccinations are wearing off. My aunt was vaccinated and she just died of COVID.
Gen Zer: She was old, so it doesn’t really matter.
Who remembers the movie, “Logan’s Run?”
I am not old enough to know it
Who ARE all these people in Cayman who have genuinely been advised by qualified medical professionals against getting the vaccine? I have friends and family members in the US and UK of all ages and stages and some with auto immune conditions, some in remission from cancer, and some currently undergoing cancer treatment. And I have yet to hear of one single person in my entire acquaintance who has been advised not to get the vaccine. Not a single one.
Allow me to introduce to you Dr. Youtube and Dr. Facebook.
Don’t forget Professor FoxNews!
Wow. 19 dislikes. Can someone tell me why opening post is not fair?
Instead of conditioning people for the long term reality of an endemic problem our overlords have instead told us to be very fearful. Well, here we are, full of fear and panic instead of rational and realistic attitudes. Congrats all.
Thank you for this post. We could softly open in October, January or next summer….but there will be “cases”. It is pointless and damaging delaying the inevitable, like somehow COVID will miraculously disappear globally by Xmas.
COVID is here to stay, and it will settle in to being a seasonal contagion like the flu. There will be peaks and valleys. But it will always be present.
Interesting perspective – please provide your ‘work’ on why it is less damaging to the population over all (rather than a few hotel owners) for our country to allow in a (potentially lethal for some) virus rather than remaining closed until the current Delta wave passes in the outside world.
So when do you reckon delta will pass? And what do you propose to do about the future mutations? How long do you think is a reasonable time to have closed borders?
Covid mutations/variants are part of the natural cycle of the virus and in the long run a good thing.. for any new variant to be the most successful version of COVID (remember all versions are in competition with each other to be the most successful) it needs to be i) more infectious , ii) less harmful or iii) both. If it’s more infectious it will spread faster than other variants and if less harmful then the host has more opportunity to spread the virus before dying (or recovering).
Over time new variants will emerge but in turn be replaced with ever more infectious and ever less deadly until it eventually becomes another flu. A good example is Spanish Flu from around this time last century which was extremely dangerous but for many decades had been largely forgotten. This evolutionary mutative process will take time as successful covid mutations are rare. The big difference this time around is we have the benefit of vaccines to help us produce the antibodies to protect us.
On an individual level there are obviously very valid concerns with each variant; will the vaccines/antibodies remain effective, is the variant more infections but no less deadly, does the variant come with other unwanted side effects etc.. But in general and over time variants are a natural part of evolution and a good thing for our species despite what the media will have you believe.
so yes Delta will pass and be replaced with something either more infections, less deadly or both. Oh and cue mass media hysteria.
I agree that death is inevitable but why would should I or other Caymanians want to bring it to Cayman faster in order to benefit a few hotel owners.
Some people who take this position have nothing to do with the tourist industry but are nonetheless concerned about the long term economic and social wellbeing of the country as a result of the prolonged closure, as well as the hidden impact on a generation of kids – other than those being educated overseas – being shut off from the outside world.
So there’s only a few hotel owners whom benefit from caymans tourism industry.
Here’s me thinking it employed thousands of people directly & indirectly.
This was always the most likely outcome of the decisions that were being made by the government. It seems clear that the government has accepted the risk on behalf of the people of the Cayman Islands.
Most of the Island have had COVID anyway already, given how many people were travelling to/from the Island Nov 2019 to Feb 2020.
So anyone who thinks we’ve never had community spread is delusional.
As I think a couple of the posters already mention, this isn’t going away let’s just crack on. And if those morons who don’t want to get vaccinated get ill then tough, it’s those folk who we could do with wiping off the planet anyway.
We should refuse to treat unvaccinated patients with COVID (those of vaccine age anyway!).
It would appear that compassion and community spirit are suffering the greatest rates of death during this pandemic
https://www-latimes-com.cdn.ampproject.org/c/s/www.latimes.com/opinion/story/2021-08-17/vaccinated-covid-doctor-shot?_amp=true
Who are any of you to decide what I should risk for the safety and well being of my family?
Learn to to live without it
When your refusal to live in an open society impacts my freedoms then we have a problem. When you decide not to be vaccinated with a vaccine that has been shown to be safe and effective then we have a problem. When you do both of these things because you wish to exert your irrational fear onto others then we have an even bigger problem.
We started with flatten the curve, then we went to protect the vulnerable and then we went to reaching 70% vaccination. We have played along patiently while they have moved the goal posts regularly. It is now time to learn to live with it because it ain’t going away. If you choose not to be vaccinated that is your problem and we should not suffer because of it. If you have been vaccinated then the risks to you are low and you do not need to be fearful.
News flash. Everybody has sacrificed their freedom to an extent to keep covid out of our community.
Exert irrational fear?
So covid is irrational fear?
You got more rights in your head than your worth.
This is simple. There is a belief in our community that we can remain isolated, forever and this will protect us against Covid. It is complete nonsense as many countries, including Australia, have shown. You cannot stop people leaving or returning to their country, however much you want to bury your head in the sand. You can try and make it as difficult as possible but even in Australia which has major quarantine restrictions they have Covid in their community.
Taking the vaccine reduces hospitalisations by 96% according to Public Health England, therefore if most of our community is vaccinated and vaccines are free and readily available for those on the fence, then YES Covid is an irrational fear. If YOU chose not to be vaccinated that is your concern.
If you use the same logic of keeping Cayman isolated because of the Covid risks now 70% have been vaccinated you would have to stop all cars from operating because driving kills 10+ people a year! You would have to stop all boating activity because last year a number of people died. You would have to stop all people going on the beach because skin cancer kills people. You would have to stop the sale of all alcohol because it kills a few people here every year. Where do you draw the line?
The worst thing that happened is that Alden stated that they would not allow anyone to die. It was a stupid and irresponsible thing to say. Government cannot and should never try to play god.
We are the majority!
I really don’t understand why everyone is saying we need to live with the virus.
We should focus on developing a sustainable internal economy and food production, invest in renewable energy, in order to reduce our reliance on supply chains that could be disrupted in future. Why wouldn’t we train those 3,000 displaced tourism workers to set up and maintain a national distributed solar grid instead of allowing parasitic CUC to fleece the Caymanian people, who pay some of the highest prices with no consumer protection in the world with one of the strongest currencies. INVEST in our people and their food and energy independence.
Instead, we are content to rush headlong back into the status quo, providing surplus wealth to the likes of hotel owners Dart and Langevin and Real Estate exploiters like Ryan and Joseph. A few bus tours will make ends meet but really we should be looking to innovate when it comes to our economy, not go back to the over-tourism we were slaves to anyway.
Agree totally. Government seems to be only taking into consideration the interests of the hotel owners without giving any thought of how things could be better than they were pre-Covid. Personally I do not want to see mass tourism the way it was in January 2020 ever again!
I am no expert, but in just reading a few scholarly articles it seems viruses learn to live with us. It is not in their interest to kill the host, because they will die too. The Spanish flu is said to have mutated to a less harmful virus. Anyway, there are lots of virologists, communicable disease experts and scientists on CNS so I sure there is an answer somewhere.
All I want to hear is that she is vaccinated and has contracted COVID. Then I want all the dummies who are forcing people to take this jab or lose their job, to sit down and STFU. As we have been saying, the job does not prevent you from getting it or spreading it, it is for your own protection.
If I dont want to take the jab, leave me the hell alone!
Then you should face restrictions on travel and entering shops, banks, restaurants etc. No one ever said the vaccine stops you getting or spreading it but it massively reduce the chances and prevents you from dying.
Ask France how that’s working out.
Ask the USA…..
cool, and if she is not will you STFU and get the damn shot?
PREACH!!!!!
We know taking the jab is for your own protection you uneducated swine. You sound like one of those instagram scientists. No one gives a sh*t if you take the jab or not. We need less people like you anyway.
Vaccinated people will typically have mild symptoms if infected. Elderly or vulnerable vaccinated people should still get checked out if they experience Covid symptoms and have medical care, just as they would if they caught a bad seasonal respiratory virus, since even mild Covid can be nasty to experience.
Unvaccinated people, especially if they are elderly, obese or have underlying health issues should go get vaccinated ASAP as per medical advice and if they are concerned about vaccines they should talk to their doctors about their specific situation. Hospitals all over the world have clear data indicating that the ICUs are filled with a much, much higher percentage of unvaccinated people. They are much more vulnerable to serious impacts from the disease.
I hope the patient is doing well, getting great care and I thank them for getting tested so we can get a clearer idea about whether Covid is already in the community in Cayman.
Here’s the problem, if you look at the modelling, having a partially vaccinated population increases the transmission to the detrement of the unvaccinated. The vaccinated may not know they are sick and continue to spread Covid vs someone unvaccinated feeling like crap and staying at home. People are encouraging you to get vaccinated so that if, or when you do get it, then you are unlikely to need to go to the hospital, or die. If you do need to go to hospital you might be using up valuable resources and take up a bed of someone who couldn’t get vaccinated, hence the further encouragement to get vaccinated. Ending up in hospital is largely avoidable.
…don’t be expecting those of us who are jabbed to
* be paying of your stay at ICU
* be paying for your long covid complications
* be prepared to get kicked out of ICU as a person who was jabbed got a heart-attack, was in a car crash or fell off a ladder – and deserves the ICU bed more than you –
Self-centred, selfish, flat-earther that you are …keep listening to those African “preachers”/witch-doctors…..
Hope it works out for you – but NOT at my or my family’s financial or medical expense…you had all the info and scientific data at your disposal….you chose the wrong door…..
This is what we have descended into? The unvaccinated should die because they lost the right to live along the line? What a horrible selfish person you are and then calling others who have a different view selfish.
Yes. Unapologetic.
It’s his/her selfishness of not getting vaccinated puts the rest of us and our under 12 YO s at risk….
When would you ever pay for anyone else fool? We all have insurance and money to pay, do stfu
You have no idea of how insurance rates are calculated do you.
Jack A$$ – those (uneducated/idiots) who are anti-vaccination are more likely to be the ones who will turn up at GT Hospital and be unable to pay their medical bills…SO YES…I, as a C.I.
TAXPAYER will end up paying for these morons’ health care for ICU stay and treatment and long covid impavting their ability to contribute to society….(and not just be a taker).
As you are anti-vaxx you are also probably a believer in a magic money tree that pays for all of the islands’ healthcare costs? No – it’s taxation that pays for it.
Idiot.
How do you know the person is a ‘she’?
Stupid is, as stupid does.
Do the vaccines reduce the risk of you getting Covid considerably? Yes.
Do the vaccines reduce the risk of you passing on Covid considerably? Yes.
This isn’t about black and white thinking. If the vaccines help reduce transmission of the virus then it’s not just about YOU! It’s about what YOU are doing to help your community. This is 101 of how vaccines work.
Viral load is the same in vaccinated compared to unvaccinated. Stop spreading misinformation. You may contract and transmit even if vaccinated. However, if you’re vaccinated and end up in the hospital, that’s called a breakthrough case, in which the risks are low.
False. The viral load over the course of a typical breakthrough infection is much lower in most people. That is part of the reason that high levels of vaccination reduces the risk to the entire population.
It stops you from dying
There are finite health resources. If everyone did not vaccinate, then those resources will be overwhelmed and the consequences will flow onto anyone who may be in need of those resources. This is not just about you…
What are you folks bitching about? Yes, there will be a day that community transmission will occur, no one knows when but could be now. Let’s stop freaking out over this, seriously wish people would just relax, understand that they will have to live with the Delta variant just like we live with different strains of the flu each year (funny how no one can get sick anymore these days without the masses thinking it’s Delta). Practice what you know, don’t put your hands to your face, cover your cough with your elbow, sneeze into a tissue or again your elbow etc. Last week three of my colleagues were down with some cold, they stayed home as all companies should mandate. Did they go get tested? NO because it was a cold/sinus that they all overcame. However, thinking back maybe they should have since it’s been revealed that there have been so many protocols not followed with our frontline workers. For example, our Immigration and Customs team are not wearing any protective gear, yet they sit there on their personal phones etc and then go home after their shift, same with Cayman Airways flight crew, same with Agents at the counters, same with Firemen/woman, same with Police Officers etc. So, please enlighten me why the hysteria over travelers when breaches have been happening from several months ago with our 1st line of defense?! but no one including government talks about that. Let’s stop blaming each other, accusing each other. So much hate on this island it’s disgusting, let’s work together to learn to live in this new world.
The voice of reason – thank you
Anybody who realistically doesn’t think COVID is coming to our shores , is living on planet Zog
Unless you want to lock us away forever , this is going to happen. Might as well be now
The only people who should be panicking are the uneducated and ignorant that had the opportunity to get vaccinated and didn’t …..good luck
Trust me the rest of the world is getting on with life and we need to as well
Anyone who thinks it hasn’t been quietly moving in the community already is delusional! For most vaccinated persons, the symptoms are less than a cold and would have been dismissed as a cold.
And I had it recently before my vacation and it was not even close to the flu I had here 12 months ago!
Chill out all and get your shot if you can!
Not really surprising IMO. If we’re going to relax quarantine in a few weeks anyway what difference does it make? At least I imagine that is what they are thinking. Simply a matter of when, not if now.
Always said it would get back here once the summer travelers returned. Quarantine breaches were obviously going to happen; they’ve been happening all along.
The Delta variant doesn’t play.
Not a good week for the PACT Govt, they were in need of a distraction but I’m sure didn’t want this to be it. Mr Premier, I propose now would be a good time to exhibit some mettle before it all comes crashing down.
Coming soon to Cayman Brac as special people continue to flaunt the quarantine rules.
I would like to see the government’s projections of the costs of hospitalisations if they open our borders to the virus in October. Data from Canada where health costs are much lower was released today –
https://www.cbc.ca/news/health/cihi-covid19-canada-hospital-cost-1.6168531
The average cost of treating a COVID-19 patient who needs intensive care in Canada is estimated at more than $50,000, compared with $8,400 for someone who’s had a heart attack, a new report says.
And so you ask for this to suggest that we should remain closed?
No. Hiwever those that are able to be vaccinated and aren’t will be raising the cost of MY health insurance when, en masse, they need specialized care.
1. We need not remain closed
2. We need not remove the quarantine protocol.
Try very hard, and then harder…you may just grasp the fact that 1 and 2 can be mutual inclusive.
9:07am……get a grip on reality!!!!!!! How many of the already more than 700 cases in Cayman have needed ICU? Very very few! Now, the vast majority of our population have had jabs so even less likely to need ICU.
Which is why everyone should get vaccinated. The CDC reports that they measured 6,500 breakthrough cases that resulted in death or hospitalisation out of 163mio vaccinated people in a study released in July. The risk of ending up in hospital is about 90% lower for those that are vaccinated.
Exactly – the government yesterday focused on the economic cost of keeping the virus out but said nothing about the economic cost of letting it in.
There is nothing shocking about this. People need to remain calm. There is no need to panic, talk about closing schools or locking down. We are going to have COVID, we are going to have to live with it while still going about our daily lives.
Good leadership news in the US today –
“Biden to announce that all federal workers must be vaccinated, with no option for testing”
That is only until the supreme courts blocks it. This is politics, he will open a short window the. It will be blocked.
I think the Supreme Court already ruled in favor of vaccine mandates in 1905. Jacobson vs. Massachusetts. Case was about the small pox vaccine. Very nasty disease. In a 7-2 decision the court held that “one man’s liberty cannot deprive his neighbors of their own liberty. So vaccinations can indeed be required. Plus the 7th circuit court upheld the IU vaccine mandate, and SC refused to hear the Indiana University case, so looks like Jacobson is standing.
Be smart, get vaccinated, no one wants you to die because of pseudoscience. If not for yourself, do it for your kids if you have them.
I know that this is not what many want to hear, but this is inevitable. Cayman cannot realistically continue to pursue a zero-Covid strategy, it simply isn’t tenable, and Cayman cannot remain stuck in the “panic mode” approach that may have made sense 18 months ago but is holding it back now. It is time to open up sensibly and follow the science, which has evolved considerably since the early days. Yes, people will contract Covid. The vast majority of them will be only mildly ill, if that, especially with Cayman’s high vaccination rate. There should be a sound strategy and treatment plan in place by now to assist those very rare few who become more than mildly ill, as well as an attitude that treats them with compassion and empathy rather than scorn and disdain. It’s really time to take a more mature approach both politically and as a community.
“There should be a sound strategy and treatment plan in place by now”
Yes, there should, but if you speak to someone in the private sector medical field, you’ll learn that there isn’t. This is the “no-plan Cayman Islands Government” after all. I feel sorry for those who have no choice but to go to the Cayman Islands Hospital.
Other than that, I agree with you. Let the shit show begin.
10:20 most vaccinated people don’t even need treatment if they catch Covid.
What efforts is Lizette, Ronnie, and the HSA board etc. etc. doing to tackle those who aren’t vaccinated? This is concerning.
Minister Sabrina? New Chief Officer Nellie? New Deputy Chief Officer Bobeth? What say ye?
A large number of HSA staff are unvaxxed to this day! There are even doctors who don’t/refuse to take the jab.
What is HSA management doing? Why is the new board quiet about this? PACT wake up!!! This is now reality
The HSA has over 1,000 staff and their vaccination rate is well above 80%. Whilst the organization can deny new employment to unvaccinated individuals and deny contract renewals for the same reason, Caymanians live in a free society whereby the Government cannot forcefully administer a vaccine simply because you make a living by serving the public. Look around you, do you think the HSA has the luxury to be firing healthcare workers as the borders are about to be opened? The HSA was one of the first to implement the policy of mandating bi-weekly testing to unvaxed individuals, they are doing what they can while balancing the requirements to respect constitutional rights and freedoms, and preserve capacity to help those who may become critically ill.
Oh please….stop with the “serve” cr@p…you’ve been watching too many Yanky films…you are well paid to do a job – just like me (but I would never say that I “serve” by employers or the shareholders….). I earn my living by doing my job – well and to the best of my ability.
You are paid to do a job – get jabbed so you can do it.
But no, you’ll end up on the social welfare milk bottle whilst suffering long covid and during that time you will not be contributing to your employers (the tax payer) by doing your job (and getting paid for it).
“Serve”….pleaaaaaaaase…….
I disagree that this will derail the reopening on Oct 14th. In fact, I do think it will solidify the plans to reopen. The probability that we have already covid in the community in Cayman is high. If this case indeed has a positive test result it will be almost impossible for the government to have certainty that there is no covid in Cayman.
Where the government is failing is with the constant ambiguity of suppression vs managing covid. The only way forward is managing covid. Covid is here to stay. Always using words like “open safely”… what does that mean? What are the metrics used to quantify “safely”?
Is it number of ventilators? No, yesterday they said they are happy with the numbers they have
Is it PPE equipment? No, as they are happy there too
Is it vaccination rates? No, as we are up there and 80% not a target anymore
Is it lack of oxygen? No, as they confirmed it is not that
Are they looking at deferent treatments for covid? Yes
Is it a lack of Plan? YES. As an example schools haven’t gotten any guidance from the government of preparer Oct 14th.
Is it lack of confidence? Yes, Panton cant even look at the camera when he speaks and does not portray any leadership nor confidence.
Is it this ambiguity to try to achieve employment locally and real estate to cool? YES
The stats are out there of how this affects kids, which almost harmless.
We are one of the best prepared counties to introduce Covid. No country out there has had the luxury to be “covid free”, vaccinate 70% of the population and the truly face covid.
The government is acting as if they can create a silver bullet to open up and have covid at bay… at the end of the day we will need to open up and let covid run freely. Keep an eye on new variants go for it.
The government needs to accept that COVID IS HERE TO STAY.
The government has to use this as a spring board to show case how great cayman is and shine a light internationally here that is not some black list… but show case that we are so much more..trust science, gain confidence that no country has ever been at this level of vaccination before introducing covid, that we can get the best technologies for treatments and turn this into an opportunity.
Get some damn confidence and act like a leader!
Covid hasn’t been in the community or else it would have spread like wildfire. You are downplaying covid.
And you are overplaying it!
We are living with it you jackass. The problem with your drivel it doesn’t take into account the consequences and subsequent actions and disruption which we are trying to minimise that is avoidable and by taking the necessary precautions of quarantine which we already know work we make living with covid 19 acceptable. This fool fool plan of herd immunity simply doesn’t work and has led no doubt to variant strains becoming a reality.
I could almost hear music when I read your post. Stirring patriotic music.
not sure how anybody can thumbs down this…110% facts.
mr williams needs to consider his position after his comments yesterday.
when the media and every dog in the street knows coviid is here already (due to 5 day quarantine rule – thanks you pact!)
Confirming what we already know ? These people are not quarantining and really don’t care who they infect 54 breaches.Now the government is planning to do the same $#@% listening to some mumbo jumbo theory which made this whole lockdown experience unnecessary and a joke. Get the mortuaries ready folks some won’t be here for Christmas! Pact stop doing bull$#@%please! Get your act together now! .
We need more confirmed cases to reach herd immunity!
We need to learn to live with the virus!!! There will be widespread community transmission at some point regardless of whether we open on october 14 or not. It’s unavoidable. Covid is never going away.
No it was actually eradicated in cayman until travellers brought it in
Whether it was eradicated or not doesn’t really matter as long as there is a global population hosting it. Do you really think we can remain detached from the rest of the world forever? Even is we maintain strict quarantine protocols indefinitely, and accept the consequences on our tourism, financial services and construction industries – how will be prevent introduction from illegal entrants, quarantine breachers, and the airline crews, immigration officials, taxi drivers and airport staff that come into contact with the quarantined travellers? Be realistic. We will have community transmission one way or the other.
100%
Agreed
Queue the tissue hoarding fanatics in 3…2..
CUE…
They will have to queue for their TP.
Then the sentence is syntactically incorrect unless you”re Yoda and the sentence is incomplete – “Queue the tissue hoarding fantastics they will”
Trip the light
On my way to CostULess right now!
So, they are speaking of relaxing things and now people aren’t taking quarantine seriously. WTH???
Always gotta have a few people ruin it for everyone else.
That’s why we should name and shame. It may deter those imbeciles.
Name and shame the quarantine breakers! Completely selfish people putting our health and all our sacrifices at risk.
Why would a single case or two stall any opening? Regardless of when we open, next month or next January, or next summer, there will be cases brought into the island.
You can’t pursue a zero case opening strategy with a virus that will be circulating globally for years, if not forever.
All of New Zealand was locked down after 1 case.
Quick, everyone panic. Close the schools, drink bleach, stockpile toilet paper, run for your lives!
Stop it
Im stealing my horse’s Ivermectin. The hell with my horse Flash, it is every man and horse for themselves now.
Don’t forget the horse de-wormer!!!
I’ll be so pissed at PACT if we have a local transmitted case. Bound to happen with quarantine monitors.
8 months ago we sent a young girl to jail for breaking quarantine regulations. I hope the government is going to crack down and punish those responsible for last month quarantine breaches.
Nah it will be like what we do to drunk drivers, slap on the wrist. But if your a furiner you’ll be made an example of.
I’d be so pissed if I was Skylar and her boyfriend. Finding out 52 others aren’t in jail currently…
Isn’t this the normal and expected end result of the decisions that have been made to reduce the COVID suppression measures?
We should not see this as something special as our leaders are making decisions with their eyes wide open.
If this is how we treat 1 case imagine what will happen when the borders re-open…..
You have to imagine, because there is no plan.
point is, we haven’t opened yet, I do expect it when we open but not now.
*boarders
We need to know which homes have quarantine people in it. Help keep tabs on people!
Is this a Nazi state now? It went from “we’re in this all together” to “report your neighbors”
When I’ve been out and about I’ve come across people who have said they were or are unwell…STAY HOME people even if it’s a little cold, even in non COVID times you’re being selfish if you go out and spread your germs!
I trust those who are placing the health of the Nation at risk by breaching quarantine rules are being punished to the full extent of the law. Selfish, ignorant, imbeciles. IMO: $10K fine is not nearly enough deterrent.
No fine is a deterrent if it is not levied, bit like speeding on this Island.
It all depends on the perpetrator’s “contact tracing”. If the perpetrator knows someone of influence, it gets hushed.
54 breaches of isolation protocol… that they know about!
Most of which were deliveries. Which is allowed.
Would be entirely unsurprising.
Why the hell are we reading that large numbers of HSA staff are not vaccinated? That is outright negligence and a breach of their duties. If this crap has leaked in any part through them not following established and widely understood best practices, there should be accountability.
Why would it stall an October 14 opening? If anything it should accelerate it. The inevitable is already here.