52 POLICE RECRUITS CATCH COVID

FIFTY TWO of 159 new recruits in the Trinidad and Tobago Police Academy have contracted the contagious Covid-19 virus.

The trainees could transmit the deadly disease to the public since the Police Service is planning to deploy apprentices at the academy to work on Carnival days.

That could lead to an explosion of fatal post-Carnival infections.

This is the most known number of people at a single local institution being affected at once with the communicable disease.

There has been no announcement of the Covid-19 outbreak by Police Commissioner Earla Harewood-Christopher, National Security Minister Fitzgerald Hinds or Minister of Health Terrence Deyalsingh.

In fact, there are meticulous efforts to cover up the spate of infections for fear that it could cause national panic, especially during the hectic Carnival season.

So far, the Ministry has only confirmed that there were six COVID-19-related deaths as of January 18.

The first case of the JN.1 variant was recorded, according to the ministry.

In a statement, Deyalsingh was quoted as saying that there is a global trend of an increasing number of cases in recent months.

This was “as a result of increased movement of persons, which usually occurs during the Christmas and Carnival seasons, among other factors.”

The ministry generally urged the public to take medical precautions.

Deyalsingh has not issued any further updates nor has he advised the public to reinstitute masking, social distancing, and hygienic measures.

But some people and organisations have returned to those preventative procedures in the midst of the new Covid-19 strain.

Sources at the Police Academy said there are no stringent health practices in light of the infection of 52 trainees.

There are deep concerns that more recruits and others at the academy could become stricken with Covid-19.

New batches or recruits are expected throughout the year in fulfillment of the Government’s announced plans to employ 1,000 more police officers in 2024.

This is triple the number of annual recruits.

The Police Academy, based at St. James, is led by Supt. Richard Taylor and Snr. Supt, George, with assistance from several other senior officers.

In mid-January, Taylor said that the academy is aiming to have the current batch “in readiness to do what is required of them in the Carnival period.”

He added: “This is quite likely to happen given the level of crime we have seen recently.
“Having more police officers out there is a deterrent tactic that has been shown to work.

“More officers out there, the more the safety is enhanced.”

Thousands of aspirants showed up recently to be screened as police recruits.

The new Covid-19 variant has been spreading fast in various countries, prompting advisories from the World Health Organisation (WHO).

WHO said the new strain is a “variant of interest” because of “its rapidly increasing spread.”

The virus which causes Covid continues to evolve, according to medical experts, and this sometimes leads to new variants.

At the local Police Academy, there is anxiety among those who are aware of the infection of 52 recruits.