• 761
  negative are reported today and three positive cases of which one is
  a contact with a known positive case.
  
• 4,187
  cases are tested in the Cayman Islands so far.
  
• Two
  drive-through facilities are testing some 300 per day.
  
  
• The
  number of tests is targeted for 450 a day.
  
• Patience
  of the community towards reopening is continued to be sought.
  

Grand
Cayman (GIS) –
At today’s, Monday, 11th May, 2020, daily COVID-19 press
conference, three positive cases and 761 negatives were reported.
Also two drive-through facilities in place are screening 300 daily.
Between HSA, CTMH Doctors Hospital and Health City Cayman Islands the
daily test target is 450.

Additionally,
two field hospitals are operational, should it become necessary to
use them.

Daily
prayer was led by Pastor Kathy Ebanks.

Medical
Officer of Health, Dr. Samuel Williams-Rodriquez
reported:

• Of
  764 test results to report today, 761 are negative and three
  positive. Of these, one is a contact of known positive patient and
  is asymptomatic; the other two are part of an ongoing investigation
  and are both asymptomatic.
  
• 620
  of the 764 tests reported on today were processed at the HSA lab and
  144 were at the Doctors Hospital. These are a combination of
  screening results of different sections of the population and
  follow- up tests conducted by Public Health.
  
• The
  management of Kirk’s Supermarket has been in close communication
  with Public Health and 121 persons are tested so far; “very low”
  percentage of these are positive and by the end of tomorrow
  (Tuesday), the plan is to complete testing of everyone in the
  supermarket. All the tests have been conducted by HSA. Deep cleaning
  was performed by the supermarket, supervised by Department of
  Environmental Health. HSA and Doctors Hospital will continue to do
  the screening for the rest of the staff.
  
• Of
  84 positives so far, 47 have recovered, 36 are active patients and
  no patients admitted.
  
  
• The
  ‘Flu clinic on Friday saw 10 patients, 5 on Saturday and 2 on
  Sunday; the ‘Flu Hotline received 23 calls on Friday, 23 on
  Saturday and 10 on Sunday.
  
• Currently,
  there are 95 individuals in government’s isolation facilities and
  98 Public Health investigation individuals.
  
  
• A
  total of 4,187 persons have been tested in the Cayman Islands so
  far.
  
• Persons
  who have been shopping at the supermarket have no need to be
  concerned if they have followed all protocols prescribed:
  maintaining social distancing, wearing face masks and not touched
  their faces; as well as washed their hands thoroughly on returning
  home.
  
  
• Two
  drive-through facilities for screening have seen 300 patients a day.
  HSA is also going to large companies and doing screening there, both
  of which will continue.
  
  
• At
  this stage, there is no plan to randomly test the whole island. The
  focus is on persons who have greater interaction with the public
  such as frontline workers at healthcare facilities, supermarkets,
  gas stations and pharmacies. Also testing of Cayman Brac screenings
  are underway.
  
• The
  prisons have not been completed for screenings; however, most prison
  officers have been completed as well as some prisoners; none has
  tested positive at this time.
  
• Among
  the facilities, the target is to complete 450 tests daily.
  
• The
  number of frontline workers testing positive is “very, very low”.
  
• Persons
  arriving have to remain in quarantine for 14 days, after which they
  have to test negative to be released into the community.
  
• The
  contact tracing being followed is based on international guidelines
  and generally covers all persons in the household, as well as
  co-workers within one metre or less in proximity of the positive
  person for 15 minutes or more. So generally, 15-25 persons are also
  screened as contacts when one tests positive.
  

Premier,
Hon. Alden McLaughlin
said:

• The
  results over the weekend with 761 negatives are “very, very
  encouraging” and underscore the efficacy of the screening and of
  the system in place now to deal with the virus in the Cayman
  Islands.
  
• However,
  it is also to be noted that the three positives are asymptomatic,
  giving credence to the view that there could be more out there in
  the community. This in turn shows that the reopening of community
  activities should be undertaken methodically and not overnight. The
  restrictions in place are working. Patience is called for.
  
• The
  next segment to be reopened, but gradually and phased, is the
  development and construction industry, which will release about
  8,000 workers. This will regenerate the economy and sustain
  employment in the Islands in the coming weeks.
  
  
• A
  plan for screening construction workers will be announced shortly.
  For instance, sanitation facilities have to be in place at
  construction sites so that workers are able to wash hands, get and
  eat food with minimal risk to their co-workers.
  
• Two
  frontline screening drive-through facilities now in place have begun
  functioning. See
  sidebar below for details.
  
• Also,
  to support construction home depots will be opened in the next phase
  as well, which is in another week, based on continuing screening
  results on Grand Cayman. This move will increase the number of
  customers shopping indoors and therefore the risk for community
  transmission. Physical distancing rules will be enforced.
  
• Despite
  constant and unrelenting pressure to reopen the Cayman Islands and
  its economy, Government’s “ethos” continues to be “lives are
  precious” and therefore the carefully reached current position and
  the sacrifices of our people cannot be thrown away by mass
  reopening. Lessons can be learnt from other areas opening their
  communities.
  
• Continued
  community’s patience is asked for as the aim is to reopen more
  “relatively soon” but in a careful phased manner.
  

His
Excellency the Governor, Mr. Martyn Roper
said:

• Testing
  and screening are on track and Government’s strategy on virus
  containment is working, especially with its robust testing system
  and increase in screenings.
  
• Cayman’s
  per capita testing is among the top 15 in the world.
  
• Regarding
  evacuation flights, a small number of seats on the Dominican
  Republic flight scheduled for Sunday, 17 May is available. For
  reservations, contact Cayman Airways directly at 949-2311 or book on
  CAL’s website.
  
• UK
  is taking a lead role in vaccine creation. “The
  UK is
  one of the biggest donors to the global alliance for vaccines and
  immunisations, known as Gavi. On
  4-5 June, the UK will host a virtual Global Vaccine Summit, bringing
  together countries and organisations to follow the UK’s lead in
  investing in the work of Gavi.”
  
• He
  gave a shoutout to the government internal audit team for its active
  role in COVID-19 response by prioritising
  and working flexibly.
  

Minister
for Health, Hon. Dwayne Seymour said:

• Minister
  gave a shoutout to Popeye’s and Burger King for providing food to
  the HSA on Grand Cayman and to Star Island for providing food to
  Faith Hospital staff on Cayman Brac.
  
  
• The
  60-bed field hospital facility is set up and ready for use, should
  there be a need for it. For
  details, see sidebar below.
  

Commissioner
of Police, Mr. Derek Byrnereminds
public:

• With
  the easing of curfew restrictions in Little Cayman and Cayman Brac
  last week the following curfew restrictions remain in place until 15
  May 2020 at 5am.
  
• Soft
  curfew or Shelter in Place Regulations on Grand Cayman
  remain in operation between the hours of 5am
  and 8pm
  daily Monday to Saturday.
  
  
• Hard
  Curfew or full lockdown, save
  for exempted essential services personnel remains in operation on
  Cayman
  Brac
  between the hours of 8pm and 5am nightly Monday
  to Sunday inclusive. On
  Grand Cayman, it
  is
  hard curfew
  between the hours of 8pm
  and 5am nightly
  Monday
  to Sunday inclusive and
  24-hour
  hard curfew on Sunday – from midnight Saturday to midnight Sunday.
  
  
  
• Exercise
  periods not exceeding 90 minutes are permitted between the hours of
  5.15am
  and 7pm daily Monday to Saturday. No
  exercise periods are permitted on Sunday
  during
  the period of curfew. This relates to Grand Cayman only as these
  restrictions have been removed in Cayman Brac and Little Cayman.
  
• A
  full 24-hour hard curfew as it relates to Beach Access to Public
  Beaches on Grand Cayman remains in place through to Friday, 15
  May at
  5am. This means no
  access to public beaches on GC at any time until Friday 15 May at
  5am. This prohibits any
  person from entering, walking, swimming, snorkeling, fishing or
  engaging in any type of marine activity on any public beach on Grand
  Cayman. This restriction is removed from Cayman Brac effective
  Thursday, 7 May evening.
  
• A
  breach of a hard curfew order is a criminal offence carrying a
  penalty of $3,000 KYD and imprisonment for one year, or both.
  

Sidebar:
Premier Outlines HSA Expansion of COVID Testing Capacity

The
Health Services Authority has expanded their testing capacity for
COVID-19 screenings with the opening of two drive through screening
tents for frontline workers and expansion of their laboratory to
increase the processing of samples in a day.

HSA
CEO Lizzette Yearwood said she is pleased with how the drive through
screening has gone since opening last week. “There are many
logistics and steps in the process to ensure it operates as
efficiently as possible.”

Upon
arrival at the HSA’s drive through screening area, the whole
process takes approximately 5 minutes.

HSA
has also expanded physical laboratory space at the Cayman Islands
Hospital, partnered with a private lab and has hired and trained
additional laboratory staff in order to increase testing capacity.
“It has been a tremendous effort from many persons to get us to
this point, and we continue to look at ways to further increase
testing capacity, said Yearwood. “These latest improvements and
expansions are a significant step in the right direction to increase
testing.”

Public
Health is scheduling appointments with frontline workers for the
foreseeable future while the testing efforts have ramped up. Phase 2
frontline workers and a percentage of construction workers are
currently being scheduled for screenings. HSA, Public Health and the
Chief Medical Officer are working together to prioritise persons or
business who are deemed essential frontline workers.

“There
are thousands of individuals that are deemed frontline workers, so it
will take a few weeks to get through the majority. We understand
there is anxiety in the general population to be tested so we making
all efforts to screen as many eligible persons as possible,” said
Dr Samuel Williams-Rodriguez, Medical Officer of Health. “In
addition to the drive through screening, members from Public Health
are also conducting screenings on-site for larger businesses, which
enables employees to be swabbed without having to leave the
workplace.”

Persons
who are screened for COVID-19 will receive results through the online
MyHSA Patient Portal, which provides a secure method to accessing lab
results. Public Health will continue to contact anyone who tests
positive for COVID by phone. All persons screened will be provided a
free patient portal account.

As
the COVID pandemic is a national crisis, HSA is working collectively
with the local private hospitals in an effort to screen as many
essential workers as possible.

“We
are currently working with Doctors Hospital by sending them various
businesses to be screened in an effort to ensure they maximize their
testing capacity,” said Dr Samuel Williams-Rodriguez, Medical
Officer of Health. “Health City Cayman Islands will be an
additional screening site for essential workers in the Eastern
Districts.”

All
screening facilities are by appointment only and businesses will be
contacted by Public Health for specific appointment times.

Sidebar 2: Minister
Seymour Highlights Family Life Alternate Medical Centre
“We
can agree that the COVID-19 pandemic has been a learning experience
for us all, especially those who are blessed to serve within the
government. We have had to learn to adapt quickly as information
develops while creating the appropriate contingency plans for our
country. Amongst these plans is the field hospital that would
accommodate any overflow of COVID-19 patients should our healthcare
facilities reach capacity.

On
Friday, members of the National Emergency Operations Committee or
NEOC, leaders from the HSA and other clinicians toured the Family
Life Alternate Medical Centre. This sixty bed facility has been fully
equipped to house patients in the event of a resurgence in COVID-19
cases. While we do sincerely hope and pray that we will not have many
persons requiring hospitalization, preparing for such a scenario is
important for saving lives.

A
field hospital was identified as a phase 4 measure in the Cayman
Islands Clinical Guidance for COVID-19 Management. Several facilities
were assessed, and the Family Life Centre proved to be the best
solution based on size, adequate airflow and proximity to the Cayman
Islands Hospital. If necessary, the facility would require 120 staff
members, both clinical and non-clinical, to operate at full capacity.
The Family Life Alternate Medical Centre will be managed by Dr.
Delroy Jefferson, HSA Medical Director; Dr. Elizabeth McLaughlin, HSA
Head of Accident and Emergency and Gillian Barlow, HSA Nurse Manager.

The
Family Life Alternate Medical Centre has been made possible through
public and private sector partnership. Special recognition goes to
Mr. Simon Griffiths of the Public Works department who managed the
project and worked closely with the HSA Clinical Task Force, NEOC,
specifically Graeme Jackson NEOC project manager, and private
healthcare providers to ensure all the necessary medical requirements
would be met.

We
would also like to express gratitude to Pastor Alson Ebanks and his
congregation for providing the Family Life Centre.”