Public services to return with full strength in Trinidad and Tobago: PM Rowley

The Ministry of Health will be presenting a national pathway for the consolidation of the Public Health Service that would see the return of the Health System, and by extension, Health Services, to an as-near-normal existence, as the country transitions from the acute phase to the endemic phase of COVID-19.

Public services to return with full strength in Trinidad and Tobago: PM Rowley
Public services to return with full strength in Trinidad and Tobago: PM Rowley

Trinidad and Tobago: Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley has announced the new COVID-19 measures in Trinidad and Tobago on Friday, March 4, 2022. PM Rowley made the following COVID-19 announcement in Parliament and stated that the measure would be implemented on Monday, March 7, 2022. 

As of Monday, March 7, 2022, the public service will return to full service, and all public servants will be expected to return to work as usual.

The Ministry of Health will be presenting a national pathway for the consolidation of the Public Health Service that would see the return of the Health System, and by extension, Health Services, to an as-near-normal existence, as the country transitions from the acute phase to the endemic phase of COVID-19.

New Protocols of viral infection caused by the novel coronavirus in Trinidad and Tobago: 

  • Families will no longer be required to be masked in their vehicles. This change will also apply to marine vessels being used by families.
  • Mask use will remain in force at this time in all public spaces and places where there is public interaction. 
  • Public transport will be allowed to return to 100% of capacity.
  • Mask wearing will continue to be required in vehicles being used for public transport, including vehicles in which persons are paying to be transported.
  • The country has removed the restrictions with respect to the length of time and numerical capacity at religious places of worship. 
  • Mask wearing will continue to be required during services at religious places of worship.
  • The number of persons permitted at graveside funeral services will be unrestricted, but mask-wearing is mandatory for the time being.
  • The government of Trinidad and Tobago has also reduced the quarantine period for the unvaccinated nations returning back to the country.  
  • Quarantine time will be reduced from 14 to 7 days, with discharge taking place on the receipt of a negative PCR test on the 7th day.
  • The isolation period for the people who tested positive for the COVID-19 viral infection is also reduced from 14 to 10 days. 

The Ministry of Health recently reduced the isolation time for positive patients from 21 days in all categories to 10 days for persons with no symptoms and 13 days for those with moderate to severe disease. 

It further stated:

  • The patients will be discharged in accordance with the discretion of the County Medical Officers of Health.
  • People are allowed to host Public gatherings of persons in groups, providing people could not be more than 25 in the respective gathering. 
  • Team and contact sports allowed.
  • Establishments currently allowed to operate as safe zones for vaccinated or exempted persons and children under the age of 12, to operate at 75% capacity; Provided that we do not have dangerous changes in our COVID-19 position, we will permit all children to return to physical schooling in term three. 
  • The Ministry of Education will put out the necessary guidelines to safely manage this process. 

COVID-19 in Trinidad and Tobago

A total of 345 new cases of the viral infection caused by the novel coronavirus were identified in the country over the past 24 hours on Friday, March 4, 2022. 

The Ministry of Health has also confirmed that a total of seven people lost their lives. With the emergence of new fatalities, a total of 3,649 people have succumbed to the viral infection so far. 

A total of 636,623 people have been tested at both private and public health facilities.Â