The Closing of Beaches

We could see it coming. The slight increases in COVID-19 cases after reports of clandestine Carnival ‘zesser’ and ‘wesser’ fetes, the surge of Trinis (more than 50,000) heading for the peaceful island of Tobago for the Easter and Spiritual Baptist holidays, the hint of virus variants ‘of concern’ being found in repatriated individuals who tested positive. Nevertheless, I also took the ferry to Tobago a week after Easter, just as the positive cases started to rise sharply. We all needed to get away, to be somewhere different than home. And now Tobago is being rediscovered by Trinis as the island paradise that it always was. Right on our doorstep, no foreign money needed, no language barrier, easy to go with your own car on the fast ferry, beautiful beaches, amazing flora and fauna, interesting tours, great restaurants and a soothing atmosphere.

Then a few days into our vacation came the announcement that, due to the sharp increase in COVID-19 cases (which included our Prime Minister, Dr Keith Rowley, thankfully now recovered), all beaches and restaurants were to close for three weeks, amongst other measures. We had been enjoying home cooking and our villa’s pool up to that point. So we missed out on going out for a restaurant meal and only got to stroll on a beach (see picture above) for about an hour before sunset. We were practically the only people on the beach wearing mandatory masks and a Newsday photographer ensured that our photo starred in that newspaper the next day; then just my cropped picture the following day! I got plenty teasing for dat.

We got back to Trinidad a week before a new lock-down was announced for the next 3 1/2 weeks. Only 25% capacity permitted on the ferry, just 3 flights a day between Trinidad and Tobago, only 5 people allowed in a group, all malls, restaurants, bars, churches, gyms, cinemas, spas, hairdressers, etc., to close completely from midnight. Our COVID advisory committee really ought to retain a behavioural psychologist. They seemed surprised that this announcement triggered, yet again, a rush on KFC and Royal Castle chicken outlets. There were even crowds at all the major supermarkets even though they were not to close. I hope they left some toilet paper for me. Government offices are now operating at 50% capacity. This means that some goods that I ordered online will take forever to get through customs.

They also ruled that the 30,000+ vaccines that they were retaining for the required second doses were now to be immediately distributed to people under 60 with risky health issues. At first, this decision alarmed me as I had just gotten my first vaccination. But then I can see that it would be good to get more people to be up to 65% protected, sooner rather than later. The Minister of Health assured the nation that the second tranche of COVAX vaccines was due to arrive in early May, and that would cover our second doses due in June.

The vaccination roll-out was confusing. T&T managed to miss the opportunity to get free donations of AstraZeneca vaccines from India as received by every other Caribbean country. Barbados kindly donated 2,000 of their doses to our country in February and that went to immunise front-line medical workers. We eventually got 40,000+ doses from India, just before they stopped exporting vaccines in order to serve their own exploding infection rates. In addition, we received our first tranche of 33,600+ COVAX vaccines in early April. Now, about 3% of our population has received at least one dose of the vaccine.

The vaccines were offered to everyone over 60 with non-communicable diseases, though rumours quickly spread that anyone over 60, regardless of health status, should register as they had to use up the vaccines quickly before they expired. My sister and I duly registered and got appointments for the end of May, about 6 weeks away. Then the ‘vaccination drives’ started. We heard of people driving as far as Toco and Mayaro to get walk-in vaccinations at health clinics.

With the fear that they will run out of vaccines early, we drove to the Queen’s Park Savannah as soon as we heard that they had opened up a mass vaccination centre at the Paddock. We got registered after a short wait, but never got an appointment call. After hearing that people were getting through on WhatsApp, we tried that, to no avail. Finally we got hold of a phone number and got an appointment for the last day, Sunday.

I must say that it was an impressive vaccination experience. We were there for about 2 1/2 hours but I suspect that was because the volunteer doctors and nurses took a lunch break. We were transitioned from one area to the next in an orderly, COVID-safe manner, for checking-in, assessment, general waiting, actual vaccination, then waiting time in case of allergic reaction. Everyone dealing with us was friendly and helpful. Seats were sanitised as soon as vacated, and the waiting areas were open and breezy with water bottles on offer. I had no ill-effects at all, though I know of others who felt quite sick afterwards. They must have processed over 2,000 people that day in that site alone.

So what triggered this third wave of infections, much worse than before? It seems we have the highly contagious Brazilian variant of the virus circulating in the community. Also people have become lax about the pandemic and let their guard down with family limes and parties, and other non-mask-wearing activities. They call this pandemic weariness, and it’s a dangerous world-wide phenomenon. It seems likely that the variant came in with an illegal immigrant, although the coast guard have stepped up their monitoring of our borders. Another boat loaded with Venezuelans heading for Trinidad sunk last week in the Gulf of Paria, drowning most of the would-be immigrants. All this with another tragedy unfolding in St. Vincent due to the ongoing eruption of La Soufrière , affecting one third of that island. The ash cloud from the volcano also blanketed Barbados, turning day to night.

The Prime Minister just announced further lock down measures in light of the fact that, on the current trend of hospital admissions, we are going to run out of beds reserved for COVID-19 patients in the parallel health system in about 10 days time. No street food vending or take-aways allowed, and only essential services and private sector businesses that do not encourage congregation of people can remain open.

So, people, please keep yourself and your families safe. It will all be over one day, hopefully soon.