BVI lab unable to test for new COVID strain
Health Minister Carvin Malone has indicated that when testing for new strains of COVID-19, the BVI will be seeking help from the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA).
He said the territory’s lab doesn’t have the testing capacity to identify these new strains.
“Because of the uniqueness and complexity of this [new strain], CARPHA has made provision for all of the participating nations to send their samples to them so that they can have them properly analyzed. Either that or we’ll have to send them to the UK, which will take longer,” Malone explained while addressing the House of Assembly on December 31.
The Health Minister said the BVI has already identified samples to be sent to CARPHA for testing to identify circulating strains in the territory and the region.
A new strain of COVID-19 has been identified in the UK and has forced the BVI to issue a travel ban against the country, which will come into effect on January 11.
The new strain has also been identified in The Netherlands, Denmark, and Australia.
According to Minister Malone, the new strain is currently thought to cause more infections and not necessarily a more severe disease.
Current evidence shows that PCR testing, treatments, and vaccine are unchanged when compared to the other circulating strains.
“However, if introduced into the territory, it has the potential to cause more disease and greater strain on already tight resources,” Minister Malone explained
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Sounds like Malone is setting up to shut down the Territory. Good luck everyone. Keep importing the Ganga. It’ll be the only thing you’ll have to eat. Happy New Year to all
New strain come from them experimental vaccine
You are a true idiot !
Utter rubbish it has nothing to do with experimental vaccines, there have been around 25 mutations since the original strain was identified in Wuhan. It is only because of the great work Public Health England has done in the analysis of the virus that we are aware of the latest strain. Further more the BVI should soon have enough vaccine to vaccinate your entire population and if everyone participates in the vaccination programme then you should be able to reopen your boarders (i.e. welcome back tourists) with complete confidence as it will not be an issue if they are or are not carrying COVID.
Its really important not to spread fake news, people believe the lies don’t get vaccinated and then it kills more people!
Sorry but we don’t want the vaccine, teat it out on others first
Idiot yes we do
Malones labs were never able to test for the original strain. Multiple false positives placing tourists in quarantine for no reason. Just lock the place down and starve to death. I hear there are long line of people waiting to start offshore corporations. Lmfao. Tourists are flocking in by the thousands. Lmfao. All that has gone on for 10 months is money leaving the Territory to buy food and goods. Soon there won’t be any money left. How much longer do you all think the government can pay government workers. Ever heard of Haiti? Have a nice life!!
Or maybe they just want more free money to spend for high tech equipments !!! Idk
We dont need to know that get the means to do so. Simple. Looking to make a excuse publicly. Jokers for leaders.
Inject us with a vaccine then tell us a new strain of the virus is out and the current vaccine can’t stop it then going to want to give us another vaccine. Ppl move around with the flu everyday and ppl are dying everyday from it too. Treat the covid like a flu and you’ll get better once your immune system is strong.