While neighbouring Caribbean islands yesterday initiated “lockdown” measures against the Ebola threat, T&T’s health authorities were considering a 21-day quarantine for people who have a history of travelling to Ebola-stricken territories to ensure they are virus-free, Health Minister Dr Fuad Khan confirmed.
Khan said the proposal is in the works but said T&T would not go as far as banning nationals of West Africa, where Ebola has killed almost 4,500, from travelling to T&T, as St Vincent and St Lucia have done. He said: “We are not contemplating anything like that (banning) but obviously the virus is a case for concern and we will have to discuss the way forward concerning measures to protect everyone in T&T and sensitise people to the issue.
“What we are contemplating are protocols for screening and ensuring the entrance to T&T of people with poor travel histories, particularly from Ebola-stricken states, are flagged and assessed.” Khan spoke about T&T’s moves to strengthen systems to protect the public after a second Texas nurse was identified as having the virus.
The nurse had attended to a Liberian Ebola victim who had gone to the US but later died at a Texas hospital. The nurse had later flown on a US airline with 132 other people, it was reported. And in the Caribbean, often known as the US’ “backyard”, St Vincent and St Lucia yesterday placed a ban on nationals of Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Liberia and Guinea entering the two islands.
St Vincent Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves said the ban on nationals of Nigeria, Sierra Leone and Guinea was implemented due to St Vincent’s lack of infrastructure to deal with Ebola which has no cure.
St Lucia PM Kenny Anthony also advised immediate prohibition on people from Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone wishing to travel to St Lucia, given the extent of the outbreak of Ebola affecting those locations. Such visitors are denied entry into St Lucia until further notice. Nigerian visitors to St Lucia will also be required to present a recent medical certificate clearing them of the virus, in addition to a visa to be allowed entry.
Anthony noted that the recent new victim in Texas had prompted “a heightened awareness and necessitated strong action to ensure St Lucia is protected.” On Tuesday also, Grenada’s government said it was considering suspending travel visas to West African nationals. Rising mortality rates there and the growing potential of spread were cited.
Regarding T&T, Khan said the disease was now in the early stage of spread “and we have to protect everyone here which will require stringent measures until something is forthcoming that will give us a sense of security and comfort on the issue. “This is not about dropping ‘restrictions’ on people just ‘for so.’ It is about doing what the rest of the world is trying to do: Taking measures to secure your country from an Ebola threat using mechanisms for any eventuality.”
Khan said the proposal contemplated was that people with a history of travelling among Ebola-hit areas be quarantined for 21 days for active surveillance on any sign of the virus. The quarantine location would be the Caura Hospital. Once they did not show signs of the virus, they would get medical clearance, he said.
Khan said it was also proposed that people showed their travel history and demonstrated they were not anywhere close to any Ebola-stricken territories. After that, they would be cleared by Immigration and National Security, he said. The Health Minister said he had been discussing the proposal with Chief Medical Officer Dr Colin Furlonge but no decision had been taken on implementation. Cabinet would have to decide on such a matter, he said.
Khan stressed the virus was contagious, especially where bodily fluids of a patient were concerned. He said the situation was particularly dangerous since people who have pre-existing medical conditions or were in poor health, with a depressed immune system, would be more susceptible to any infective virus and suffer its effects worse than someone who was healthy, without medical issues.
Khan added: “Persons with pre-existing conditions or depressed immune systems will have an increased risk of getting the virus more acutely and showing stronger symptoms.” He noted, for instance, that occurred with the chikungunya virus, where some people with strong immune systems had milder symptoms or for a shorter duration than others who exhibited extreme full-blown symptoms over a longer period.
On the National Energy Skills Centre’s move, advised by the CMO, to postpone the arrival of 100 Nigerian welding students of its drilling school, Khan said the students would eventually arrive in T&T after they showed proof they were Ebola-free.