The Tribune

By TANYA SMITH-CARTWRIGHT

tsmith-cartwrighttribunemedia.net

PAN American Health Organization officials have urged countries in the region to “act with the utmost caution” when it comes to loosening travel restrictions for fully vaccinated tourists.

Dr Sylvain Aldighieri, PAHO’s incident manager, gave the advice at PAHO’s weekly webinar update on COVID-19.

“PAHO is aware of this strain that the pandemic is posing on the tourism industry and on national economies depending on tourism, specifically in the Caribbean,” Dr Aldighieri said.

“As well as we are aware of the efforts of cruise lines to establish preventive and mitigation measures onboard vessels, however considering the major COVID-19 transmission events that occurred onboard cruise ships worldwide at the beginning of the pandemic, it is imperative to act with the utmost caution.

“At present with the evolution of the spread of the virus across the Americas and in Europe, the unknowns related to the impact of COVID-19 vaccines on the transmission of the virus and the challenges related to accessing the vaccine and to vaccination roll out campaigns in most countries of origins, we need to act with caution.

“The WHO paper published in February 2021, states that proof of vaccination against COVID-19 should neither be regarded as a guarantee to make one free of infection nor be required as a condition to undertake international travel. This is a complex matter.”

He also said that in early May, the Centres for Disease Control in the United States published technical instructions for assimilated voyages by cruise ships. The approach of the CDC, he said, is an example of establishing regulatory frameworks at national levels for countries that would receive international travellers, including countries where the cruises originate.

Dr Aldighieri said the CDC instructions clearly define responsibilities of authorities on a national level, the cruise line operators and also the passengers.

As of May 1, international visitors travelling to The Bahamas who are fully vaccinated and have passed the two-week immunity period have been exempt from testing requirements for entry and inter-island travel.

Yesterday, PAHO also confirmed that a variety of common SARS-CoV-2 variants have been identified in The Bahamas..

The organisation also said although no variants have been identified by name so far, circulation cannot be ruled out. Therefore, it said, new samples have been sent to the PAHO Sequencing Reference Lab in Fiocruz (the Oswald Cruz Foundation) to maintain the surveillance.

The organisation will soon host a special webinar to specifically address variants.

PAHO’s director, Dr Carissa Etienne, said there is clear indication in the region that transmission of COVID-19 is not being controlled.

“Nearly 40 percent of all global deaths reported last week happened right here in the Americas,” she said. “This is a clear sign that transmission is far from being controlled in our region, even as countries like the US and Brazil are reporting reductions in cases.

“In North America, Canada is seeing higher rates of infections than the US, particularly across eastern Canada and the northern territory, home to a majority indigenous population.”

Just last week, the region reported more than 1.2 million new COVID cases and nearly 34,000 COVID-related deaths. Neighbouring Cuba continues to drive most new infections in the Caribbean, although smaller countries like Trinidad and Tobago are experiencing significant jumps.

Dr Etienne said that in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, COVID-19 cases in evacuation shelters continue to be a challenge, following the recent volcanic eruptions. National borders in the Americas are also creating a challenge with cases accelerating.

“Our health systems are challenged to care for an influx in COVID patients as they scale vaccination efforts. More than 140 million people have been fully vaccinated against COVID in the Americas. The WHO’s recent approval of the Sinopharm vaccine offers fresh confidence to countries in the region where the vaccine is already in use and brings hope for expanding access to vaccines in the Americas.

“But until we have enough vaccines to protect everyone, our health systems and the patients that rely on them remain in danger.

“Across our region, nearly 80 percent of our intensive care units are filled with COVID patients, and the numbers are even direr in some places.”

On Tuesday, the Ministry of Health reported some 33 new cases of COVID-19 with 25 of them in New Providence. The other eight include two in Grand Bahama, three in the Berry Islands and three in Cat Island.

Of the 55 people in hospital sick with the virus, five are in the Intensive Care Unit.

Two of the new cases have a history of recent travel. There are a total of 10,966 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the country.