Trinidad could re-open borders by May 15

The Trinidad and Tobago government says it is looking to possibly reopen its borders by May 15, but it says that would depend on recommendations from its scientific community. 

Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley made the announcement at a news conference today. He said the country's public health orders would also be extended, including the stay at home policy to May 10, as it continues efforts to prevent the spread of the COVID-19.

“We need a few more days of holding the fort…most of what we have experienced with this virus coming into our population, the vast majority came from persons who came into us from the outside," he said. 

“So…it is imperative that we do not pollute that sampling of our population and the establishments of new contacts and the infection of new population cohorts by persons coming into Trinidad and Tobago. So unfortunately we have to keep our border closed."

"There are serious consequences to that (closing borders) but the greater consequence is to re-infect us and go back to square one where we were two months ago. If we hold the course, we are likely, I can’t promise you anything, I am not seeing anything, I am not influencing it, (but) I am simply saying if the outcome continues on the same trajectory, the curve that we are on now, by the ….15th of May Trinidad and Tobago should be in a good position to look at a lot of what we have shut down.

He said for the first time, the country has a "mile post" to guide its journey.

"A little light is appearing at the far end of the tunnel, so that by the 10th of May, if things go well we should be in a position to say that we can now relax. A lot of what we are now constricted to…but to get a get a good result by the 10th of May requires we do what we have been doing,” Rowley said.

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