Trinadad & Tobago closes its
borders, even to all nationals
Caribbean Life, March 27-April 2, 2020 11
Lift ban on Gay blood donations
such blood is only 1 in 1.47 million, by
the FDA’s own admission. Abolishing
the ban altogether would put the US
in line with best practices internationally
as observed by South Africa, Italy,
Mexico, and Argentina.
Consider the benefits. A 2014 study
out of UCLA Law School’s Williams
Institute found that allowing gay men
to donate blood would increase the
overall blood supply by four percent,
which is the equivalent of more than
615,000 additional pints. One pint of
blood can save as many as three lives,
which means that opening up this pool
of donors could make the difference
between life and death for more than
1.8 million Americans.
When AIDS emerged on the scene in
1981 and government officials in Washington,
Albany, and New York denied,
ignored, and dawdled, it was the LGBTQ
community that stepped up to take
our lives and well-being into our own
hands. From Gay Men’s Health Crisis to
ACT UP, Bailey House, Housing Works,
the Treatment Action Group, and many
more institutions we built, a new model
of citizen and consumer healthcare
advocacy was born.
Gay men are eager to help our fellow
citizens. Don’t keep shutting the door
on us.
Continued from Page 10
By Azad Ali
As of midnight on Sunday, March
22, 2020, the Trinidad and Tobago
government has closed its borders,
even to all nationals in a bid to
contain the spread of the COVID-19
deadly virus.
Only cargo coming in by air and
sea will be allowed in the country
but the crews of these aircraft and
vessels will not be allowed to disembark.
Hundreds of Trinidad and Tobago
citizens made a desperate dash to
return home before the borders were
official closed on Sunday night.
Countries across the world have
locked down their borders as the
death toll from the virus continues.
The massive increase in cases, 50,
in Trinidad and Tobago has led the
government to take the stringent
measures.
At a media conference at the Ministry
of Health on Saturday, Minister
of Health, Terrence Deyalsingh,
Minister of National Security, Stuart
Young and Chief Medical Officer, Dr.
Roshan Parasram were present to
update the country on government’s
response to preventing the spread of
the virus.
Young said the Trinidad and Tobago
borders will be closed to all,
including nationals of the country,
from midnight on Sunday.
He said the government has taken
a decision to close the borders as
he announced measures to combat
the spread of the novel Coronavirus
(COVID-19).
Young said the government had
no doubt this was the beast measures
at this time to prevent the
spread of the virus.
Parliament met on Friday and
voted to add cinemas, theaters, and
dancehalls to the list of restricted
businesses which have been shut
down from March 20 to April 20.
Bars, along with casinos and other
gaming clubs and in-house dining
at restaurants, around the country
have also been shut down.
The owners of these businesses
and facilities under the new law can
now face a fine of $50,000 and a sixmonth
jail for flouting the COVID-
19 restrictions set down by the government
until April 20.
The government also emphasized
that social gatherings be limited to
10 persons and that includes church
services.
State Senator Brad Hoylman is correct in calling for the FDA to lift its ban
on sexually active gay men donating blood. Michael Luongo
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