COVID cases surge but CMO may cut isolation time
(CNS): With an additional 361 new cases of COVID-19 detected over the Christmas holiday, active cases in Cayman are approaching 4,000, though hospital admissions have fallen to just four patients. Meanwhile, after the US Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) updated its guidelines, Interim Chief Medical Officer Dr Autilia Newton said the current isolation periods and testing regimes for those who test positive for SARS-CoV-2 are under review to “meet the ever evolving situation”.
On Wednesday evening officials said that 78 of the new cases were travellers but 283 were in the community, including five in the Sister Islands, and 198 were probable Omicron cases.
Over the weekend officials conducted 1,504 PCR tests, which means the positivity rate for the holiday grew to a whopping 24% of those tested.
Government has been unable to supply accurate isolation figures for the last two weeks and was again only able to say that, as at midnight on Wednesday, 29 December, despite 3,930 people currently being infected with the virus in Cayman, there were 3,825 people in isolation linked solely to community transmission. The number of travellers and contacts remains unavailable.
Despite the increase in cases, growing evidence that the Omicron variant is far less virulent than previous strains saw the CDC shorten the recommended time for isolation from 10 days to five days for those who are not symptomatic.
According to current guidelines here in Cayman, those suspected of having the Omicron variant and their close contacts, regardless of whether they are negative or fully vaccinated, must lock down for two weeks. Dr Newton told Radio Cayman that the current regime was under review.
“Public health relies on evidence and guidance from several international institutions, including WHO, the UK Health Security Agency, ECDC and CDC, on best practices for COVID-19 management. We are aiming to strike the right balance between safeguarding the life of people and ensuring that the country is still functioning as effectively as possible,” she said.
“With this in mind, the CDC’s new guidance on isolation times will be taken into consideration alongside other sources to find the best proposal for the Cayman Islands,” she added.
Vaccine clinics re-opened on Wednesday but there were no new vaccine figures available.
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Category: Health, Medical Health
CNS please follow-up with Dr. Newton and the Government regarding the promised review of the period before one can take a PCR test to exit quarantine after suspected Omicron. Caymanian students home for Christmas are missing their return to University dates and their parents possibly missing work even though all are triple vaccinated (not everyone can work / study from home). Thanks!
A lot has been said about Omicron, but not a word that I have seen, on any unvaccinated child eg Caymanian who contracts the virus but has only minor symptoms, as to how long they are likely to remain positive and be stuck in isolation, crucial if they are stuck in Miami.
Why just Miami?
Mild symtoms maybe coronavirus 229E which is the common cold.
Being in the uk and Europe for first time in over 2 years for Christmas and new year, as expected I see how much better they are here compared to caymanians with wearing masks and the public being responsible. All cayman deaths are the fault of cayman locals being slow to vaccinate and being lax with masks and distancing,
Try so stay over there if you like it so much! The rest of us will live freely out from the thumb of a corrupt government.
PACT?
Ignorance is bliss
You do know that they just tell everyone that they suspect Omicron so they have an excuse to lock you all up for 14 days, right?
Case numbers don’t matter. What matters is how many vaccinated (including the booster) who did their part in getting jabbed and boosted as quickly as possible are dying or filling hospitals, and that seems to be pretty much zero. I’m in the uk for Christmas – Scotland and wales strict new measures but actually have seen rapid cases of omicron since. Boris held firm in England and hospital numbers are not increasing dramatically. There is absolutely no need to change anything in cayman, although I would take aaway the ridiculous and pointless day 2, 5, 10 LFT test requirement for incoming boosted travelers.
but then how will those who sell the LFT make money?
Taking of ridiculous and unnecessary, you missed the earlier post about a travelling family have one person test positive on day 2, then 3 days later test negative on 2 separate rapid tests, rest of the family test negative, but the HSA refuse to test them with a PCR so they can get out of quarantine until they have done 14 days because those are the rules, even though they have flights booked to leave before then. I get that they shouldnt get out of quarantine until they test negative on a PCR – but why refuse to give them the test – at their own expense at that – until an arbitrary number of days have passed? If they had been residents the rest of the family would have been going to work as normal provided they passed their rapid tests. There no thought to it – a knee jerk reaction, then set in stone. Remember how long it took them to acknowledge that not asking cruise shippers for a pre arrival test was inconsistent with their flight policy? Stubborn as a barn full of mules (or given JohnJohn is now in charge, should that be a barn full of donkeys?).
Cases do matter. No one can predict what the long term health affects of Covid are for each individual.
Well firstly nobody cares where you are and secondly since when did being vaccinated include the booster by default Dr Internet?. Some people got the second shot very recently. Besides the so called booster which is just more of the same stuff is being reported only to be effective for ten weeks. Other reporting is suggesting that we are ‘over vaccinating’ so please shut the heck up. Oh and case numbers don’t matter? Every case has the potential to be hospitalised, so yes they do matter. The unvaccinated matter too, people do not become doctors and nurses to ‘choose’ who they treat.
I doubt anyone in this government even passed basic maths. So sick of being held prisoner by idiots. Enough is enough. If you are vulnerable, protect your dang self. If you are in a low risk category, let you be free. A lot more damage is being done by these regulations than from any virus.
7.08pm So true, I am certain if you asked any civil servant including Ministers what half of three quarters is most could not answer without consulting electronic aids.
Yes. God bless the almighty dollar. The hell with the risk to innocent people!
Do not come here! HSA is completely inadequate to handle the current laws and regulations revolving COVID.
If you test positive they will put an electronic bracelet on you and ALL household members (regardless if they’re negative or positive) for at least 15 days or until your PCR is negative … whichever is the later.
It is an absolute nightmare to get in contact with HSA. All of the nurses are clueless and no one is in charge. No one has the right information. They had the # of people, address, the names, and the results of everyone in my household wrong (multiple times)!
Variant testing seems to be a waste of time on individual cases. The nurse will say everyday that they will have the results today or tomorrow and so on. It never gets confirmed FYI.
Warning for the CIG – I predict people will stop reporting at home tests if they know they will be locked up for at least 15 days or until they have a negative PCR test.
Worst part of having COVID was dealing with HSA and Travel Cayman.
Let people release themselves from quarantine with a negative rapid antigen test like foreign travelers are allowed to enter the Cayman Islands! Stop wasting your resources and admin and people’s time on releasing previously infected COVID people.
You know what our problem is? TRUST. We simply cannot TRUST people to do what they should do because the people are too STUPID.
Honestly knowing what you know people are saying you can THINK to trust people? People are taking HORSE DEWORMER medicine for Covid!!! People are refusing the vaccine because they believe their is this GLOBAL conspiracy going on involving MILLIONS of people and ALL Governments when there is a high chance you and I cannot keep a story straight for 24hrs much less the year and a half that is gone by.
PS. Let me tell you a little secret I was told by Obama himself. No one has ever died of Covid. It’s all made up. He wanted to see Hamilton in NY and it was always sold out, so he call up his good friend Shi and said I need you to say there is a virus and lets make up some crap. The stock markets will plummet and you can buy up US stocks and FINALLY I can get to see Hamilton in peace and quiet. Yeah lets do that.
But Ssssssssshhhh it’s a secret.
NO. Stop playing politics PACT. The CDC has lost their damn minds. They spent too long in the TRUMP prison and forgot that their MANDATE is to PROTECT FIRST and let the politicians worry about the fallout.
We CANNOT Trust people to do the right thing. This is how Delta started to begin with.
I hear everything the initial writer said and I feel for them but the full lockdown was warranted the piss poor communication was not.
The problem is and let me say this CLEARLY…
WE WERE NOT READY FOR THIS. …..PACT…..PACT WAS NOT READY FOR THIS. THEY DROPPED THE BALL.
It started with stupid guidelines. 6ft and 15 minutes. That’s BS. You can catch Covid within seconds. Not testing EVERYONE associated was mistake #1. You ;et people walk out and spread the virus then you struggled figuring out where it went.
GTPS and all schools should have been full lockdown events with families. Mass testing on all students, families and teachers.
The pussy footing around things got us where we are today. 12 people have died in all 10 in this wave. Make no mistake, this was PACT fault. Yes same people advising BUT DO YOU THINK FOR YOURSELVES OR DO OTHERS THINK FOR YOU??? You do know you can make decisions? Wait. You do know that right? We kind of pay you to make decisions…
Shut up bro, you’re making us look bad.
Cayman response has been appalling under both Alden and pact…they need to bring in a. Uk official or politician to run things asap, or have the governor excercose emergency powers. They also have John John in the government now who embarrassed cayman repeatedly in press conferences last year, a total laughing joke now
To the extent that government pays any attention to what the CDC says, they should pay attention to this –
“The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said people should avoid cruise travel regardless of vaccination status, following a rise in onboard Covid cases, in a major blow to the industry that has been ravaged by the pandemic.
The CDC on Thursday raised its Covid travel health notice level for cruise ships to 4, its highest warning level.
“Even fully vaccinated travellers may be at risk for getting and spreading Covid-19 variants,” the health agency said. With several cruise ships already on the seas, the CDC said the passengers should get tested three to five days after their trip ends, and self-monitor for Covid symptoms for 14 days.
The CDC has investigated or started an investigation into Covid cases on more than 85 ships already.”
The rest of CDC BS like 10 days to 5 days with no final test is all political. So forget that crap.
So, I recall a few weeks ago when people were saying oooh Covid going away and that there was little to no Covid coming in and I was trying to remind people of what we were up against.
They even had Dr Lee saying crap I am sure he did not even believe.
Had him saying Covid going away despite the following:
1. US & UK going into Flu season.
2. Cayman going into Flu season
3. Omicron is coming
And it was scoffed at.
Now here we are, 361 positives out of 1,504 for a whopping 24% positive rate. Highest in Cayman. And incoming travelers was 78 or 21.6% of all infections or 5.2% of all test.
And guess what? It will get worse before it gets better because we now have Omicron amongst us which does not care as much for vaccines as Delta did and will reinfect the previously infected also.
So all those parties you attending will result in mass infections and soon we will know if Omicron is stronger or weaker than Delta.
Thanks to PACT for making us the Guinea pigs. Gotta love a government with their heads up their @$$#$@%@.
Their national song should be “Ooops we did it again”.
Let me clear a few comments…
Mr/Mrs 8:59am No. We have not had Omicron for a month. It’s not even two clear weeks as yet. PS hospitalizations takes 2 to 3 weeks to start showing an uptick after infections start.
Let’s look at the UK. According to the Guardian, 90% of all new infections is Omicron. Hospitalizations are up from 6k to 9k, a 48% jump. Thankfully the vaccines and boosters are fighting Omicron and deaths are still flat although it is expected that if there is a surge it would take place in the coming weeks.
How about the USA. There has been a 153% upward swing in infections. Since Nov 10th hospitalizations have gone up 66.8%. Deaths are flat but tend to lag behind.
All I am saying here is stop belittling Omicron. You don’t have to be petrified of it but respect it. Do the necessary.
1. Get vaxxed and boosted.
2. Mask up
3. Wash and sanitize hands
4. Stay away from large gatherings
PACT, if you have a brain. Return crowd mandates to minimums for next 4 weeks minimum. Give us a chance.
You keep repeating this. U.K. hospital admissions are up on last week but are down drastically on last year, which means the vaccines are working AND Omicron is a mild variant. Stop fear-no getting.
Also the hospital is empty because 11 people died.
No fully vaccinated deaths from covid though.
All unvaccinated deaths though
As it relates to the CDC guidelines it was interesting to see that nurse and flight attendant unions in the US are saying that “It was very clear that this was about trying to push people back to work” and not about the providing the best medical and scientific advice.
It appears that given the weaker but more contagious omicron strain, reduced hospitalizations, and the life cycle of the Spanish flue a century ago, this is the beginning of the end of Covid as a significant factor in controlling our lives. It is time to begin thinking normalcy.
Surely everybody would welcome the return to normalcy. If we’re being honest, the temporary Covid impositions aren’t that onerous, and unduly restrictive. Not by Spanish Flu standards. Our data also says: nearly 4000 active cases, almost half of all the cases ever recorded in the Cayman Islands, are active today, and right now. As far as we know, almost all of those are still residual Delta with only 198 presumed to be part of the Omicron tsunami that is still building elsewhere. Thankfully few are in hospital here at the moment. But, perhaps it’s still a few weeks premature too suppose we have arrived at the end of the tunnel and are only dealing with “a mild” Omicron and blow the all-clear conch shell. We’ll get there when we get there.
Exactly! The unvaccinated and the obese have had plenty of time to sort themselves out if they wanted to reduce their risks from covid. They have made their life choices and things need to move forward.
That would be nice however H1N1 (the virus behind the “Spanish Flu”) is a completely different type of virus that is not at all related to Sars-CoV-2. It is just as likely or more likely that multiple other variants will arise until such time as there is a vaccine that works against all coronaviruses. There are several such vaccines in development but none will be widely available until at least 2023.
Covid didn’t control your life, politicians did
au contraire.
You are stating for FACT which has not been made fact as yet and only a POSSIBILITY.
Until we know for sure then no.
And also keep in mind a new more aggressive variant could emerge even more deadlier than all of the ones before.
Just because you think you see a light at the end of a tunnel does not mean its not a train coming to squash you.
We arrived on the 18th, one family member tested positive on the 20th. The whole family (6)has been electronically tagged and must quarantine for 14 days. The family member tested negative after day 5, no other family member has tested positive. Day 10 and we still haven’t been told which variant we have! We have flights to leave on the third, and have sent all our flight details to HSA to see if we can be PCR’d to make the flight. Three emails and daily calls and not one response from anyone. I’m absolutely embarrassed to admit that I’m a Caymanian at present, as I’m ashamed at what poor decisions our leaders are making.
Well leave Grand Cayman if you are so embarrassed.
classic caymankindness
12:26pm – how about you leave cayman. People like you are the reason cayman is a joke right now. Im caymanian btw
He cant because the HSA wont test them, numb nuts. And since when did criticizing government become a basis for exile? The issue seems simple – you test positive once you get quarantined for 15 days irrespective of whether you when become free of the virus earlier. Why? Where’s the harm in releasing them early if they are negative, and where is the harm in testing them at their expense?
After you please.
If you’re tagged, it means your party are unvaccinated. It’s a special genius that intentionally selects B-grade border service, knowing the entry rules. 10 days to mull that self-determination from quarantine, and it still hasn’t hit home yet…
If they were unvaccinated, why did they have to do day 2 tests? Open your mind to the possibility that the HSA might now be tagging vaccinated travelers that test positive as well, as part of their Omnicron reaction?
Yes they are tagging fully vaccinated travellers if they test positive.
And the Cayman Covid Circus continues. Sorry for your unpleasant trip. Glad we decided to stay in south Florida
This narrative is exactly why true tourism (not just friends/family visiting) will only be a trickle while this testing regime is in place. If you come for two weeks, you have four times when you possibly get “sentenced” (Day 2, 5, 10 and 24 hour pre-flight test).
Russian roulette. I wouldnt travel anywhere for tourism that has these rules.
Poor decisions like travelling in the middle of the biggest global covid wave?
The Netflix movie Don’t Look Up explains why some people are obtuse to reality.
It’s unfortunately not appropriate to use the word “leader” to describe this government. Horse trading hypocrites would be appropriate.
Brutal. But not unexpected.
Too many people taking an undeserved long vacation over the christmas holidays .. this includes Flow, who seem to have introduced a large fee for customer service over holidays.
Our politicians (can’t call them leaders) have made it embarrassing for some time now.
I hope you get treated better. I know from personal experience they can really screw this QT stuff up.
Always the way with the cayman government, third world employees
Spoken like a true colonizer
Owner.
This is an interesting statement.
“I’m a Caymanian at present”
Does it change? Like daily, weekly? Or do you have the monthly plan?
Stupid me I got the Caymanian for life and even in death plan.
PS I am not a PACT fan either but LOVE MY CAYMAN ISLANDS TO THE DAY I DIE!!!
Now covid is all but the flu for the vaccinated there is no need for regulations or quarantines at all. If that unvaccinated want to die of stupidity why should our lives be out on hold for them?
>95% of our 4000 cases are in the Delta category.
People like you are sickening, no compassion, it is all about you isn’t it? People put their lives on hold all the time caring for family, sick and infirm. Sure there has been some inconvenience in our lives, but to blame it on the unvaccinated is a greater form of stupidity.
The unvaccinated aren’t doing anything to you, nor do they want to. Place your blame where it belongs. You made a decision, hopefully an informed one. Our health should be our own responsibility. I would never attempt to inflict my health strategy upon others. If/when I disagree with a person’s decisions, I simply avoid them.
FWIW, I am fully vaccinated, as was MY decision.
The thing about public health is that it isn’t just about your individual decisions – it is about the best interests and health of the whole.
The newest version of Covid denial. Covid is not the flu. Thousands are dying every day in North America.
So why is the hospital busy with vaccinated people?
Busy with vaccinated people? Government stats for December 30. Non hospitalised Covid cases: 3690. Hospitalised. 5. Busy?
Because many vaccinated believe they are invincible when they are not. Many are in denial and saying we must learn to live with the virus when in fact it is the virus that learns to live with us, if it kills everyone it won’t survive. The evidence is coming to the forefront now with Omicron being less lethal. The vaccine is coming to the end of it’s usefulness too evidenced by the ‘booster’ only providing some protection for ten weeks, but it continues to be pushed when so many new therapeutic drugs are now available. Social distancing, hygiene and masking are still very effective too!
There are too many “active” cases. If all the cases were determined to be positive in the last two weeks we would have had more than 250 positive tests a day!
I have a feeling folks have just tested themselves with an LFT, two days negative in a row and they are on the road. HSA has done a good job, but let’s move on now. Lower threshold for positive tests, and let’s have people be responsible for exiting on their own.
and hospitilisations continue to fall…..the good news that is hardly reported for some reason.
the world has just found out you can’t isolate everyone with cold symptomsduring winter for 10-14 days….pure madness and not reality.
I am less and less convinced that organizations like the CDC are providing the public with the best medical and scientific advice. The advice that the public is getting seems to be based on a combination of science, politics and economics.
The Cayman Islands is not in a position to do anything other than what is being dictated by the large business entities and wealthy individuals that control the country.
So what’s changed 10:21, someone got their pawn to the other side of the chessboard and it’s just another piece to be moved 🤷🏻♀️
Exactly right! Everyone should watch Don’t Look Up on Netflix for perspective on the US government
So if you have Delta, which is more dangerous you get a shorter quarantine time than if you have Omicron, which is milder and puts less people in hospital? Please tell me what logic is being used here? This is madness.
The only way you can get out of quarantine is if you test negative. What does it matter what variant it is, if you test negative? This is government bureaucracy run wild!
I have a relative in quarantine who has tested negative on lateral flow for 2 days and they won’t allow him to do a PCR test because he has to serve the full time. It’s total insanity.
I can understand the concerns around Omicron a month ago but we know a lot more about it now and ALL the data coming out of different countries is showing it is milder and moves more quickly through infection phases than Delta. All the government is doing here is showing people why they should NOT self report if they are positive. Why would you if you are dealing with people who have regulations which have no basis in scientific reality.
Until the scientific data points update, we are still looking at 95% Delta cases, with <5% suspect and confirmed Omicron. Whiners that deliberately propagate a virus that can debilitate, kill and/or furlough others, are acting selfishly and without regard for the needs of others. Personality types many of us will want to steer clear of, long after this is over.
These people would have been complaining about sheltering underground in London as German planes dropped bombs on the city
Get rid of these clowns! Disgusting all of them. These is insanity!
We do not know if Delta is worse than Omicron. Delta did most of its damage to unvaxxed people. We have far more vaxxed now and would make Omicron seem weaker.
The 14 day quarantine for unvaccinated travelers makes less and less sense every day!
You are right. We should have a total ban on unvaccinated travelers.
Hear hear. No Vax no visit.
Except that we live here…and we’re Caymanian…and guess what? We’re NEVER getting vaccinated! Freedom is a beautiful thing.
So dumb. The rules have to change. Or, do you suggest my infant doesn’t travel until she’s vaccine eligible?
Which vaccine works and is safe?
Why separate the totals now? Unless 78 had covid upon arrival with no quarantine should it all not be community spread?
What Delta’s CEO wanted
Nelson’s position is at odds with some airlines leaders. The CDC’s decision comes days after Delta Airline’s CEO sent Walensky a letter advocating for a shorter isolation period.
In the letter, CEO Ed Bastian — along with the airline’s medical adviser and chief health officer — asks Walensky to consider shortening the isolation period to five days for those who experience a breakthrough infection.
With the rapid spread of the Omicron variant, the 10-day isolation for those who are fully vaccinated may significantly impact our workforce and operations,” the Delta officials write.
The airline was among several in the U.S. that experienced thousands of cancellations over Christmas weekend, in part because airline staff were calling out sick with COVID-19.
Curious!
Surprise, surprise. Dr. Fauci and the CDC director have been making the rounds on television after the announcement to shorten the time. At every appearance both are asked to justify the science behind it. They have no answer. Here is Fauci in his own words:
Dr. Fauci: “There is the danger that there will be so many people who are being isolated who are asymptomatic for the full ten days, that you could have a major negative impact on our ability to keep society running. So the decision was made of saying let’s get that cut in half.”
Basically, he admits that the decision is based on economics rather than science.
It is given the projections. All of us will get this Omicron variant with or without 10 day isolation. That’s how infectious this virus is now.
If anyone infected had to quarantine for 10 days, society would essentially shut down causing serious negative impacts greater than what the virus will do.
One Walmart recently had 90+ workers test positive and had to close the store due to staff shortages
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/nj-walmart-temporarily-closes-after-90-employees-catch-covid-worker-says/3470796/%3famp
Omicron is not a serious threat to our health unlike Delta. The added benefit of natural infection (especially if triple vaxxed) will give even more immunity against Covid with only minor symptoms. This could actually be good news and bring about the end of the pandemic phase of the virus.
1/3 of London’s Fire Brigade were positive and out of service a day or two ago. We aren’t at the peak case number projections yet. We still don’t know the virus’ ever-changing rules, maybe we’ll get Omicron a few times. Strap in and find out if you want.
Omicron COULD be worse than Delta. Delta just happened to have attacked us early when vaccinations were still in its infancy. Omicron comes when boosters are being pushed.
It’s just hard to say because they level of protections are better now.
It’s like comparing 54 year old Mike Tyson vs 20 year old Mike Tyson. Yeah 20 year old would kick 54 year old but remember 54 year old was that guy.
Writing-off pensioners definitely lowers future claims against systemic unfunded liabilities and social support funding apparatus. These are morally bankrupt economic and scientific gift horses.
Now that is cynical. But hmm…
We have had the omicron variant for a month now. Just like other variants it was predicted to ‘surge” and ‘overwhelm’ us – but it is so mild that nothing much has happened. Except people testing positive and having to stay at home, even without any symptoms. In Cayman there are now just four people in hospital. That’s a reduction of 75% in two weeks. Don’t forget at the beginning of December it was all doom and gloom about what would happen in “the next two to three weeks”. But don’t worry – we’ll have another new scariant soon.
Nearly 4000 active cases at the moment, and of those only 198 are suspect Omicron. Assuming we are “all done” because just <5% of total active cases are suspect Omicron, doesn't quite match the data. Please don't start lowering your masks and spreading more Delta. We don't need both.
Omicron was first reported on Dec 15th which is 2wks and 1 day not a month. Now the latest stat which I believe is incorrect is 198 suspected cases. I would double or triple that number to get a closer guess.
That’s half of his statement. What he said is you have to balance what science tells you without having to shut society down.
8:22 creating sensationalism is a lot easier than exploring possibilities, – sometimes ask ‘am I really sure ?’ 🙋🏼♀️
https://www.google.com/amp/s/globalnews.ca/news/8477824/snug-masks-hamilton-covid-cases-dec-29-2021/amp/