There are mixed views on whether the country’s COVID-19 mask mandate should be relaxed.
A public health policy specialist believes the COVID-19 statistics are low enough to make mask-wearing voluntary, at least in certain places.
The use of face masks should be voluntary and not mandatory, except in a very limited way like at hospitals where there are lots of people with comorbidities, says Dr Mandreker Bahall.
“We have to be brave to fight this thing. In workplaces, in schools, the public service and other public service areas, I think we should leave it to the organisations, depending on their nature, to decide whether a face mask should be worn or not,” Bahall told Guardian Media.
He said the low levels of COVID-related deaths and hospital occupancy in the parallel healthcare system show that Trinidad and Tobago can now follow the path of our Caribbean neighbours.
“With time, you could have a deadlier strain but at that time we could change our plan. But at the present time, we are in a good position to normalise our working and leisure activities. Already, if you look at what’s happening across the nation, in a lot of the areas people are not wearing face masks and we are not seeing any major spike,” Dr Bahall indicated.
However, while head of UWI’s Faculty of Medical Sciences, Professor Terence Seemungal, agrees the pandemic is likely waning, he believes citizens should still play it safe.
“If we look at the patterns around the world, it appears we are in the waning phases of the pandemic and I am still hopeful that by the end of the year, the virus will assume the role of another common cold virus,” Seemungal said.
“I know people want to see all the restrictions lifted but I hope that they will be patient,” he urged.
Professor Seemungal admitted that he expected a bad reaction following last month’s ‘Taste of Carnival’ event.
“I have to admit I expected a bit of a spike and I am not seeing that and that’s a very nice thing. It’s nice to be disappointed by this virus,” he said.
Professor Seemungal advised that when the policy changes, people who fall into the at-risk group should still wear their masks.
“It is clear that masks do help. One of the gold standards in medicine is the randomised control trial and there was a trial in Bangladesh and the masks reduced the risk of infection significantly,” he said.
