The Health Ministry is currently in talks with Caribbean Airlines, to have the group of Cuban nurses who are to assist in T&T’s fight against COVID-19, flown into the country by the middle of next week.

This was confirmed by Minister of Health Terrence Deyalsingh on Saturday. Upon their arrival, the nurses will be deployed to the Intensive Care Unit, under the direction of Dr. Anthony Parkinson.

But even with the additional medical staff, Minister Deyalsingh maintains that the best way to keep the number of cases down, is for citizens to be responsible.

With US President Donald Trump’s announcement of an embargo on N-95 masks, Minister Deyalsingh says he does not anticipate that this will affect T&T’s supply. He says 6000 masks were received on Friday, with 20-30 thousand more expected to arrive over the next 14 days. He continued, “But as I keep saying, if the number of cases escalates because people don’t stay home, the first things you’re going to run out of is N-95 masks.”

Trinidad and Tobago is one of many countries benefitting from Cuba’s medical professionals during this pandemic. A cohort of Cuban doctors are currently in Italy- the country with the highest death toll from the virus to date.