by Rishard Khan (Trinidad Guardian) The “Mother of all Carnivals” is on and the Government does not intend to institute any additional restrictions despite rising COVID-19 cases.
This was the word from Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley yesterday, although he still called for greater responsibility among the population with the new XBB.1.5 sub-variant in circulation and daily cases forecasted to reach the “high hundreds” within the next two weeks on the current trajectory.
Speaking during a media conference at the Diplomatic Centre in St Ann’s, the Prime Minister justified the decision to continue with the Carnival plan despite the rising infections.
“We do not believe the situation warrants us to not have Carnival but we believe that it warrants us taking personal decisions about your exposure to minimise instances for requirement of healthcare delivery to you,” he said.
This, he said, meant increased vigilance and adherence to practices that are now well known to everyone—observing the public health protocols and getting vaccinated and boosted. This is especially critical for those with comorbidities, he said.
