School outbreak boosts active case numbers
(CNS): After a reported outbreak of COVID-19 at Cayman Prep on Friday, over 100 students and their family members were locked down over the weekend. The positive tests boosted the number of people in isolation and on Monday Public Health said there were an estimated 1,778 active cases, including 58 on the Sister Islands.
Eight people are in the hospital, five of whom are unvaccinated. Another 254 people tested positive between Friday and Sunday evening as the resurgence of the coronavirus continues. The rolling seven-day case average is currently 114.
The government has not yet given any indication as to which restrictions, if any, might be lifted at the end of this month. While parents are pushing hard for the mask mandate to be dropped in schools, this latest outbreak could delay any consideration being given to a reprieve for kids until the start of the new school year.
Meanwhile, with so many people in quarantine, pressure is mounting for the government to drop the strict PCR testing before people are allowed to leave isolation.
Officials continue to urge parents to get their kids vaccinated. COVID-19 vaccination clinics for children aged 5 – 11 are by appointment only, and the schedule has now been released for the rest of May and into June.
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Category: Health, Medical Health
CDC and WHO estimate 20% of COVID positives are afflicted with a constellation of post-COVID syndromes lasting more than 2 months. That’s nearly 100 mln people that will have to bear costs and burden capacity on public healthcare globally. We knew this from the early days of COVID, yet complacency still reigns and governments are eager to claim victory, assuring endless waves of increasing resilient and evasive mutations.
And yet a strikingly similar percentage are “afflicted” with the same set of symptoms among those who believed they had covid but upon antibody testing did not. The real figure for long covid, such as it is, is very low indeed.
Where your assertion fails is that an undetermined of people who have had a Corona virus infection never develop antibody responses. Apparently it is not currently possible to accurately determine that number. What we know is that these patients seem to develop T cell responses but not antibody responses as far as can be detected by the most sensitive tests. Thus, they will test negative for Covid when they actually had the disease at some point. The so-called “controlled” studies that I have seen which try to establish a statistical correlation between those who display symptoms of Long Covid having been infected and those who report symptoms not testing positive for Covid fail to adjust for or take into account the number of patients that have had Covid but do not present with detectable antibodies. I would deem such studies to be neither skillful nor well controlled.
Researchers posit that in those who have been infected but do not have a detectable level of antibodies in their blood, the T cell response fights off the Covid infection and can do it so well that the person may suffer only mild symptoms from the acute phase of the infection. However, people are susceptible to Long Covid regardless of the severity of the original infection. The ones who fall in the cracks, too, are the ones who are hit by Long Covid and are not recognised as ever having had a Covid infection at all. The best clinical guidance coming from those wise researchers nd clinicians who are now seeing the light that testing is missing Covid cases, is that treatment for COVID-19 (and therefore, treatment for Long Covid) should be based on sound clinical judgment regarding the patient’s symptoms, and not just testing, especially when the symptoms seem to have no other underlying cause.
Thus, in light of the clinical evidence and global pro-active response to Long Covid, I again say that this government is being horridly careless and negligent, and unspeakably dishonest, in not even beginning to admit that we indeed have cases here in the Cayman Islands that can and should be attributed to Long Covid. They need to come clean; however, having said that, I shall proffer that bad company is indicative of poor judgement and corrupt morals; thus, I should not expect a Clown Car government that is in bed with Makeeva Bush is able to come clean and be honest about anything. Where your assertion fails is that an undetermined of people who have had a Corona virus infection never develop antibody responses. Apparently it is not currently possible to accurately determine that number. What we know is that these patients seem to develop T cell responses but not antibody responses as far as can be detected by the most sensitive tests. Thus, they will test negative for Covid when they actually had the disease at some point. The so-called “controlled” studies that I have seen which try to establish a statistical correlation between those who display symptoms of Long Covid having been infected and those who report symptoms not testing positive for Covid fail to adjust for or take into account the number of patients that have had Covid but do not present with detectable antibodies. I would deem such studies to be neither skillful nor well controlled.
Researchers posit that in those who have been infected but do not have a detectable level of antibodies in their blood, the T cell response fights off the Covid infection and can do it so well that the person may suffer only mild symptoms from the acute phase of the infection. However, people are susceptible to Long Covid regardless of the severity of the original infection. The ones who fall in the cracks, too, are the ones who are hit by Long Covid and are not recognised as ever having had a Covid infection at all. The best clinical guidance coming from those wise researchers nd clinicians who are now seeing the light that testing is missing Covid cases, is that treatment for COVID-19 (and therefore, treatment for Long Covid) should be based on sound clinical judgment regarding the patient’s symptoms, and not just testing, especially when the symptoms seem to have no other underlying cause.
Thus, in light of the clinical evidence and global pro-active response to Long Covid, I again say that this government is being horridly careless and negligent, and unspeakably dishonest, in not even beginning to admit that we indeed have cases here in the Cayman Islands that can and should be attributed to Long Covid. They need to come clean; however, having said that, I shall proffer that bad company is indicative of poor judgement and corrupt morals; thus, I should not expect a Clown Car government that is in bed with Makeeva Bush is able to come clean and be honest about anything. The minions who try to defend their dishonesty fall in the same bed.
@11:55:
Bravo! Post-Covid sequelae–or Long Covid–can present with more severe symptoms than the acute phase of the infection and has the potential do severe damage to almost any organ system. What makes your comment even more worthy of urgent attention is that we currently do not know how many times Long Covid symptoms can recur. Can it become chronic? We do not know yet as Covid 19 is relatively new on the scene. Our negligent government can begin spiking the ball in the end zone because they, unlike numerous governments in the world not as negligent as ours, are taking pro-active measures to address Long Covid. In my opinion the new government reports are not exclusive to Covid because government wants to what they can to divert public attention away from Covid. Clever social engineering, I will give them that. I shall wager that the new diluted reports will not include any reference to Long Covid either. Sabrina Turner, Panton, et al, will continue to stick their deceitful empty heads in the sand about that constellation of post-COVID syndrome afflictions. For shame!
CMO living in the Q2 2020 panic bubble. All these people unnecessarily under house arrest when at the last count 3 vaccinated people were in hospital, and everyone in the scientific community accepts that covid is now endemic so catching it is a “when” not “if” situation meaning restricting infections as a per se policy is pointless. Is there anywhere else in the world now that requires a PCR test to exit quarantine? Many countries do not even have quarantine requirements now for those with covid.
@3:01:
Your assertion that “everyone in the scientific community accepts that Covid is now endemic” is false. The most fundamental part of the clinical definition of the endemic phase of a disease is when a steady baseline of cases is established for a long period of time and the numbers become fairly predictable. If you take a look at the statistics since the first Covid case, the Cayman Islands is not and never has been at that stage. The course of Covid in the Cayman Islands is thus far characterised by case numbers waxing and waning over quite short periods of time. If you have evidence that the Cayman Islands has reached the endemic phase, please share it. If not, stop perpetuating baseless lies to support your benighted narrative.
Dr Fu-Meng Khaw, national director of health protection and screening services at Public Health Wales, said his working definition of endemic is when a virus is at a low, acceptable and predictable rate. “We’re not quite at that stage with Covid, yet. For a new virus it could take two, three, four or even five years to be able to understand the pattern and how it will pan out” according to Dr. Khaw. Dr. Khaw advocates that health officials need to study in more detail how Covid behaves–and the effectiveness of vaccines against any future variants –before it can be treated in the same way as, say, the flu.
For COVID-19 to be considered endemic, it must also be determined what is an acceptable baseline level of transmission. Covid will only be considered “endemic” when its patterns are fairly predictable, such as well established seasonal waves, but this could take a while yet. Can you tell us the time, say, name the month, that scientists declared that the Cayman Islands entered the endemic phase of Covid? Or is this just your baseless spewing?
Bottom line: Stop spewing tripe.
I’m exhausted, get on with your life’s folks. Have you ever had a cold?? You think that’s going to be cured, nope its not. This thing is now a cold and Governments and the media are going to keep this going as long as the sheep with follow. Pact CIG are incompetent, the Health Minister could run a Sunday School class, let’s recognize that.
Why do children have to make an appointment for a vaccination?
Don’t even try to get into the ones at Camana Bay, they are already sold out!
My understanding is that the bulk of cases are at the Primary School. The High School informed parents there were less than 20 including staff. The fare-up at the High School happened a few months ago so those kids are much less likely to be getting it right now.
Think the confusion is that the article doesn’t state the above but the picture used is of the high school.
Clearly masks are not working.
Stop that misery to our kids!!
this is complete rubbish? there are under 15 actives cases at prep.
#factcheck?
Really? The previous week there were 12 kids out in my kid’s class alone.
Mask mandate at schools has done literally nothing to stop the spread. It’s a joke. Poor kids and teachers.
All these kids out with COVID at prep – most are barely sick (get sicker from non-COVID cold/flu) and some have zero symptoms and are only out of school due to the stupid rules that they need to be. When will this madness end? It’s 2022, not 2020.
Yep my son had zero symptoms and all his friends had zero or very mild symptoms for a day or two.
It might be time to look at classroom ventilation.
Proper ventilation has no negative side effects for children, unlike masks.
Classrooms aren’t ventilated? Who designed school buildings?
Do you even want that answer?
Yes
At my children’s school (Cayman Brac), the AC’s are too cold. The windows on both sides of classrooms would enable a lovely breeze to flow through, reducing recirculated air and save government money on electricity. Imagine that! I have never seen doors or windows open.
I am not missing this as a solution to the spread but it may cut it down. In any case, it conserves energy and money. It is beyond me why it isn’t just common sense.
Sorry was this story from June 2020? In 2022 in the real world Covid restrictions are history. In the UK life is back to normal with no restrictions, you don’t even need to quarantine if you have covid now.
DEH recently held a course for its employees on COVID related ventilation. I hope they enforce all private and public bullrings to use the preventative ventilation.
Why can’t the buildings have the kind of ventilation that airplanes have, where the circulating air changes every few minutes?
Sigh 😔
Good point. Planes are one of the safest places to be, as the HEPA filter gets rid of 99.97% of airborne viruses. Crazy that some airlines still make people wear masks.
One of the big myths. Airplane filtration only occurs once at altitude. This filtration system is not running while on the ground or taxiing. Lots of stale air is accumulating during this period.
Nope you are wrong as long as the air cycle machines are running filtration is taking place. Airplane pressurisation is controlled by an out flow valve not regulated input. The principle is throw more than you need in and bleed off what you don’t need.
Today you are literally nuked on a plane, the exposure to man made emf is mind boggling
Literally?
A false comfort if you are between the virus droplets and the air intake.
Because the classrooms are not at 40,000 feet with a costless atmospheric positive partial pressure differential that can be exploited.
Why not though?
They do actually
37.5% of hospitalizations are vaccinated. I blame the cruise shippers.
You do know that there are only 13 active cases at prep
Some people who have developed debilitating long COVID symptoms in the USA are finding their medical insurance will not cover the care they need, because without a PCR test they have no proof they were COVID positive in the first place.
Something to think about when choosing not reporting/not testing.
Long COVID can cause heart problems, headaches, vertigo, exhaustion, muscle weakness, breathing difficulties and many other symptoms.
Did you make this up?
Yes, long COVID is real. But no one must prove that current health problems relate to past COVID infection. It could be post-jabs by the way.
Besides, NO doctor in the world can even make such a connection based on prior COVID infection. Remember, many who got infected didn’t get sick. Doctors treat, if they can of course, all health problems regardless the cause and insurances DO NOT require any kind of proof.
So stop BSing.
My sister got infected and it progressed to sickness that lasted about 3 weeks. Her husband was back to normal within a week. Her “long COVID” is hair loss and a weird knee pain – yes, her pain is related to COVID.
Unfortunately doctors have no idea what to do with past-COVID (post-jabs) “…heart problems, headaches, vertigo, exhaustion, muscle weakness, breathing difficulties and many other symptoms”. I would add POTS to this list – Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome, for all symptoms that you list are also POTS symptoms. Learn about POTS on Dysautonomia International site. Just remember, POTS is not a orthostatic hypotension, for even doctors don’t know that.
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcvm.2022.860198/full
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/in-conversation-long-covids-cardiovascular-implications
No, I didn’t make it up. And the comment clearly states in the USA. Perhaps you might try reading more carefully before making rude accusations. Here’s some reports on the difficulty long Covid patients are finding getting treatment,disability benefits and insurance to pay for the treatment. Many are resorting to using savings to pay out of pocket.
https://chirblog.org/covid-long-haulers-can-carry-additional-burden-getting-insurers-cover-care/
https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2022/03/08/long-covid-disability-benefits/
https://www.cnbc.com/2022/02/08/the-cost-of-long-covid-its-a-full-time-job-to-get-better.html
https://news.bloomberglaw.com/health-law-and-business/covid-long-haulers-ask-who-pays-when-sickness-just-wont-end
You still twisting the facts.
✅Difficulty finding treatments? Correct. Because there are no treatments.
✅Difficulty getting disability benefits? Correct. 90% of all disability claims are denied in the US. It takes appeals, attorneys and at least 3 years to get disability benefits, if you’re lucky. Post-Covid people aren’t treated differently.
✅Insurance doesn’t pay for treatments? Because no “scientifically proven” treatments exist. And if Medicare does not pay for alternative, experimental treatments, private insurance won’t either.
Back to your original comment: getting Covid tests won’t solve post covid health problems people are facing.
I apologize for being rude.
I started suffering symptoms from Long COVID in my 20’s as well. My hair loss still hasn’t recovered.
Have you not heard of asymptomatic covid? You can have it without knowing
How convenient.
Stop testing so much!! That will solve the problem! The increased cases are not leading to hospitalizations so why are we locking people in their homes?! The rest of the world has moved on and we are still stuck in the dark ages which is affecting small businesses, family incomes and more.
I agree 100%, no more testing = no more positives, problem just goes away. We should do the same with the courts. No more courts, no more criminals. Again problem solved. Genius!!!
Might as well ban cars as well right. Accidents and all. No cars no accidents. It works both ways. Stop the silly condescending remarks as it is not illegal to have Covid. The last time I checked the courts are around for keeping illegal activities in check.
Those in charge here now will struggle to come to terms with alternate management ideas on Covid as we go forward.
Those in charge here struggle to tie their shoes.
The latest “outbreak” is additional evidence of the idiocy of the mask mandate.
Masks can only do so much (and people have to actually wear them properly, and not just wear floppy loose cotton that lets the breath escape out the sides). Ventilation and vaccination are also key.
#CovidIsAirborne and the virus aerosols can drift in the air for hours in a stuffy indoor room.
Yes, but don’t care.
Ask anyone who wears glasses how ineffective even the best masks are. Your breath has to escape somewhere. Masks do nothing except offer a false sense of security.
Yes but no one does or will. Get rid of the mandate. If you worried, wear an N95.