The Omicron variant of the virus which causes COVID-19 has been detected, through genomic sequencing, in a test sample from a traveller in quarantine in the Cayman Islands.
This is the first report of a case of Omicron in Cayman.
Chief Medical Officer (Interim) Dr. Autilia Newton said some early studies of the Omicron variant have been completed, and more are underway to assess its transmissibility, the severity of illness, and the effectiveness of the COVID-19 vaccine against the variant.
“There is still much to learn, but at the moment we can confirm that Omicron probably spreads more easily than the original SARS-CoV-2 virus. In addition, vaccines still appear to offer the best protection against severe illness, hospitalisation and death. This is especially true for individuals who have had a booster shot,” Newton, who has temporarily taken over from Dr. John Lee, said in a statement.
The statement did not indicate whether the traveller had been placed in quarantine after testing positive for COVID, or whether the person was already in isolation. The Compass has reached out to government for clarity on this point and is awaiting a response.
Premier Wayne Panton, in the statement, said Cayman over the last few weeks has tightened testing and quarantine processes for travellers, to minimise any risk posed by the Omicron variant.
“We reintroduced a 14-day quarantine for people who have recently travelled through or from countries at high risk for Omicron. In addition, we have narrowed the period of time within which visitors must confirm they are COVID-negative before their arrival, while also widening testing options. Measures like this will help to keep the Cayman Islands safe in the weeks to come,” the premier said.
Late last month, after the Omicron variant was identified in South Africa and was subsequently found in eight other African countries, and in Belgium, the Cayman Islands government introduced travel restrictions on people who had travelled from or through those countries within 21 days of arriving in Cayman. They are required to undergo PCR testing within 12 hours of arriving and must complete 14 days of quarantine.
Although the Omicron variant has now been found in 77 countries, no regulations adding other countries to Cayman’s travel restrictions list have been gazetted.
On Tuesday, the World Health Organization’s director-general, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, said, “Omicron is spreading at a rate we have not seen with any previous variant.”
He added, “The reality is that Omicron is probably in most countries, even if it hasn’t been detected yet.”
Cayman’s outgoing chief medical officer, Dr. John Lee, in an interview with the Compass last week, urged people to get their COVID-19 vaccination booster shots as soon as possible, because as more contagious variants emerge, he believes those who have had the booster will be the most protected.
“Omicron is knocking at the door,” he said. “Get the booster in your arm and protect yourself.”
Recent preliminary studies appear to indicate that two doses of COVID-19 vaccines offer less protection against Omicron than against other variants, but a booster dose likely restores much of that protection.
As of Monday, 13 Dec., 19% of Cayman’s population had received a third, or booster, dose, while 80% had completed the two-dose course.
The government announced that it plans to give an update on the COVID situation in Cayman at 2pm on Thursday, 16 Dec.
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Premier Panton points to his new restriction dictating that tourists must have a negative Covid test the day before they travel to Cayman. He offers no published medical recommendation for this. The only thing that this will prevent is tourism returning to Cayman because people will not want to spend months planning a vacation only to find it being canceled the day before they are scheduled to depart. likewise, the major airlines are not going to be anxious to start scheduling flights to Cayman with the risk that there will be significant cancellations the day before passengers are scheduled to depart thus costing the airlines millions of dollars.