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From left: Minister of Health Jimmy Prince, Chief Medical Officer Simone Keizer-Beache and Permanent Secretary Cuthbert Knights.
From left: Minister of Health Jimmy Prince, Chief Medical Officer Simone Keizer-Beache and Permanent Secretary Cuthbert Knights.
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Minister of Health Jimmy Prince, Chief Medical Officer Simone Keizer-Beache and Permanent Secretary Cuthbert Knights remain in COVID-19 quarantine after their exposure to someone one week before the person tested positive for the illness.

The officials had taken the precaution of entering into quarantine for five days, which ended last Saturday and PCR tests conducted on them since then were negative for COVID-19.

However, Keizer-Beache told a press conference on Wednesday that they remain in quarantine although the ministry’s infectious disease specialist has cleared them.

“… one week before the person had a positive test, that was the real exposure to the person. After that, any interaction with that positive was not considered, did not meet the criteria to be termed a close contact,” Keizer-Beache, who is a physician, explained.

“So we all had PCR tests done as soon as we realised we had been exposed previously and then we had PCR tests after that. So we have all had negative PCR tests, so strictly speaking, on the advice of our infectious disease specialist, we have been cleared.

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“We have continued to have minimal interactions, however, and I think that is generally what everyone should do. Whether or not you have a known contact with a positive person, it is advisable that you minimise your contact with everyone.”

Keizer-Beache said persons should wear a mask whenever they are in contact with someone outside of their immediate family bubble.

“So I am still working from home mainly –well, working from home. It seems to be much more hectic because you are in one spot. That’s the update.”