Trinidadians to wear masks or face penalty

(CMC): Trinidadians should expect to pay a fine for flouting mask-wearing rules to reduce the spread of COVID-19 in that country. 

Prime Minister Keith Rowley announced that the Public Health (Amendment) Act, passed by Parliament today, will come into force on Monday, mandating the wearing of masks. Persons who breach the law will be subject to a fine of TT$1,000 (US$160) for the first two offences, and TT$5,000 (US$800) for a third offence.

“From Monday, it will be illegal to be out in the public place without a mask," Rowley said, adding that “unfortunately, it had to come to that," he continued, indicating that some people were reluctant to follow the various measures put in place to prevent the spread of the virus that has so far infected 1,577 people and killed 19 since the first case was detected in March this year.

“As of Monday, it will be a matter for the police,” Rowley said, adding “without the law people were taking the position 'I don’t have to do that'.

"There will always be minority positions. Let us do what is reasonable,” he said, noting, however, that “there is no scientific data to make drastic changes” such as another lockdown of the island.

Illegal parties

He said the government will continue to be guided by the office of the Chief Medical Officer, telling reporters he had passed on to the police an invitation he received to attend a party.

“If I come early it is TT$50, a lot of nice girls, if you come late it is TT$100. I passed that to the police and I hope the police attended that party and lock up everybody who was there, because I am just fed up of people just playing the fool when they are talking about lives and livelihoods and those who have to party then we have to police them. Simple as that,” Rowley said.

“Some people see this as a profitable environment. It is not a profit that is going to work for the wide national community, it is those kinds of gatherings that will cause us to be struggling if we find ourselves unnecessarily infected,” he added.

On August 15, the government announced a series of new measures aimed at curbing the spread of the coronavirus causing COVID-19, which in recent days had pushed the island into the category of 'community spread'.

Rowley repeated the measures that included all in-house dining at restaurants and bars, food courts and malls being suspended with only pickup services; all beaches and rivers closed, as well as all places of worship, gyms and fitness centres.

He said all contact sports will stop and water parks are to be closed, as well as casinos and members' clubs and cinemas. In addition, there will be no gatherings of more than five people permitted, and weddings, funerals and christenings will only allow for a maximum of 10 people.

Rowley said that all public transportation will function at 50 per cent capacity and that all travel to Tobago will be on an essential basis.

New normal

The government said that members of the public are urged to stay at home unless absolutely necessary, and Rowley reiterated that the virus has brought about a new “normal” for living in Trinidad and Tobago, and indeed the wider world.

“Our system is working well and we should not … panic and coexist with a virus, which is becoming better and better known," he said. 

“We (the world) have been engaged now for eight months in responding to this virus,” he said, noting the developments in the scientific world that have made it easier to understand how the virus works and how it could be prevented and treated even though there is no known vaccine at the moment.

He said that the health sector is responding well to the pandemic, with the authorities indicating that there is sufficient bed space at hospitals based on the new initiatives announced earlier this week to allow people to be quarantined at home.

“The numbers you heard today will tell you we are in a good position now with respect to hospital space and step down facilities, and we are not expecting to eliminate the virus for our population. One of the realities we are facing now as human beings is that this virus has joined us on this planet and is among populations around the world.

"What we have to do going forward is be in a position to have the healthcare and the public health response, so that the virus does not overcome us, and that overcoming is measured quickly by an ability or inability to provide healthcare to those who need it,” Rowley said.

Health Minister Terrence Deyalsingh told reporters that the authorities have agreed to provide free quarantine space to persons whose households cannot afford them to remain at home during the 14-day quarantine period.

Rowley said that he will hold talks with the Ministry of National Security regarding the border closure, and that the measures announced to prevent the spread of the virus will be reviewed  on September 14.