Governor Silvestri 2020-09-18

Summary of Facebook Live Chat by Governor Silvestri at 2020-09-18 17:00, second part

Starts at 00:45. Audio in the first video cuts out at 03:36. Second video content starts at 01:00 and restates the content of the first video.

The Spanish transmission can be found here

https://www.facebook.com/watch/live/?v=1065953533801842&ref=watch_permalink

Transmissions are Monday and Friday.

COVID-19 Testing and Treatment

Cases:

• Health Department release 76 from Thursday
  • 910 confirmed cases total
    • 151 recovered
    • 17 deaths confirmed
    • 742 active cases
    • 457 pending tests
      • 389 new tests from the last 4-5 days
      • 68 still pending from the last update
  • Only 4 tests processed since the last update
    • 2 new positive cases
    • 5 recovered

Hospitalisation:

• Total of 61 hospitalised patients in Roatan
  • 20 in the hospital
  • 41 in the COVID center
• No information for Guanaja or Utila

Testing:

• If you’re getting a test from the public medical system, the doctors have the last say as to whether to administer it or not. This is based on their evaluation of your symptoms.
• The public lab tests are reserved for those without the economic means to pay for one.
• Private labs will sell you tests if you really want one and can afford one.

Seriousness of cases:

• Spread of everything, 7 people in critical condition
• Yesterday 3 people came off VPAP machines and are almost completely recovered
• Main challenge right now is to identify those at risk and get them to the COVID-19 center as quickly as possible

Ventilators:

• There are 3 ventilators on the island, donated by USAID
• The public hospital was trained in using these this week

Private PCR test results:

• Private clinics which opt to report their test results to the federal government are included in the official reporting statistics.
• Some clinics are choosing not to report their results and they, obviously, are not included.

Cemesa or Woods Clinic:

• No known COVID-19 patients at either of these clinics

Travel and Immigration

Immigration website:

• Been giving lots of people problems, the governors team is aware of it
• Please report any issues to the governor so they can contact the immigration office in Tegucigalpa to ensure that travel requirements are registered
• The travel volunteer group is preparing a checklist of items so that everyone knows what’s required depending on where they’re coming from

Testing for travel:

• PCR is preferred
• Voluntary quarantine for those coming in on a quick test

General

Michael McCarry:

• Governor has been working closely with him as he’s now on Roatan
• Two X-Ray machines which was organised by Mr McCarry was delivered to the Roatan public hospital.
• Spent time showing Mr McCarry what the Bay Islands healthcare system looks like given he’s organised so many donations.

Digit System:

• As of next week there should be two digits per day
  • The official press release for this change should come out over the weekend
• We still need to be careful, especially as it’s the peak on the islands
  • Seeing lots of dangerous behaviour such as an entire family in a car where only one person is authorised for the day.
  • This particularly makes it hard for police.
• Tourists are exempt but need to show a hotel or car reservation
  • Those who own a home but don’t have residency are technically residents for these purposes
  • There has been an incident of the police ignoring the tourist exemption, a denuncia is being filed to ensure the police enforce the regulations properly.

Central government evaluation:

• Expecting a number of changes soon, which should provide better care
• In collaboration with the medical system and mayors officers
• 50 new hospital beds for the COVID-19 center were brought over by the government team on Tuesday or Wednesday

Restaurants:

• Yes, it’s difficult that the entire family can’t go together to a restaurant at the moment if they don’t all have the same last digit on their ID.
• Most restaurants are providing food to go. This is the best approach at this time.

Crime:

• Police reinforcements have been promised, but no date has yet been provided