100% Butte r Croissan t made with Mix n’ Match 100% Butte r Croissan t made with Sausage, Egg & Cheese Croissan’wich® Bacon, Egg & Cheese Croissan’wich® 2 5 $ for * © 2021 Burger King Corporation. cayman compass Your most trusted news source Established 1965 $1 | Funding local journalism | Weekly, 10-16 September 2021 ISSUES 10 solutions for Cayman’s housing crisis Page 20 Schools address border reopening risks Page 8 Sister Islands' iguanas under threat Page 14 COMMUNITY TRANSMISSION Two vaccinated patients, with no travel history, test positive and show symptoms. Page 6 Refugee Olympic Team feels Caymankind Page 12 Refugee Olympic Team feels Caymankind Photo: Taneos RamsayBoggy Sand seawall/ cabana plan approved The Central Planning Authority has approved an application to replace a failing seawall and a cabana on Boggy Sand Road in West Bay, despite a direction from the Department of Environment to reject the plan. The DoE – under delegated authority from the National Conservation Council – in a written submission to the CPA, directed it not to approve the application by Cayman Property Investments Ltd., due to the expected detrimental impact on the marine environment and the beach. John Bothwell, manager of the DoE’s Legislation Implementation and Coordination Unit, said it is the understanding of his department and the NCC that the CPA is legally bound to take on board a direction from those bodies. “We are going to reach out the Department of Planning to get more details of the CPA discussion so we can know what has happened exactly; then from that, try to work out the next step,” he told the Cayman Compass on 6 Sept. after the CPA decision was announced. Bothwell added that the DoE would also be consulting the government’s Legal Department “so we can understand what is happening and make sure the National Conservation Act, as written and intended, is functioning properly”. CPA board chairman Ian Pairaudeau, at a 1 Sept. meeting of the authority when the application was considered, asked Michael Alberga, attorney for property owner Justin Schmidt, for his opinion on the DoE directing the board to reject the application. Alberga responded that he believed it was within the discretion of the CPA to approve or refuse it. “I would suggest that the board is not bound by the recommendation of the DoE,” he said. Education Ministry adds funds to scholarship programme The Ministry of Education has received another $8 million for local and overseas scholarships and bursaries. About 50% to 60% of the funds are used to prepay student fees for the spring term, because otherwise the money would be approved too late as part of the regular budget cycle, Education Minister Juliana O’Connor-Connolly explained in Finance Committee. The additional funding was approved after the 7 July announcement that several scholarships for post-secondary and undergraduate students would be increased. The standard annual funding for all overseas postgraduate studies, i.e. master’s and doctoral degrees, will increase from up to $25,000, to $35,000 per student per annum for current and new postgraduate students. The minister said, “Following careful consideration, the Cayman Islands Government saw the need to revise the current funding amount to ease more of the fi nancial burden that many of our Caymanian students face when in pursuit of higher learning opportunities.” The Ministry of Education also announced a one-time grant of $1,500 towards the costs associated with obtaining a student visa. “Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, students, particularly those accepted to institutions in the United States and Canada, have faced increased expenses in their efforts to obtain a student visa,” O’Connor- Connolly said. “They often have difficulties accessing regular flights and incur high costs due to quarantine protocols in the countries where embassies are located.” Auxiliary cop arrested for allegedly perverting the course of justice An auxiliary constable with the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service has been arrested on suspicion of perverting the course of justice, police have confi rmed. The arrest took place on 4 Sept.; the alleged offence is said to concern an ongoing criminal investigation, according to an RCIPS press release. The 44-year-old offi cer, from George Town, has 12 years service with the RCIPS. Police say he has been suspended from “all police related duties until further notice”. They declined to share details on the circumstances that led to the offi cer’s arrest. Deputy Commissioner of Police Kurt Walton, commenting on the investigation, said, “We take the conduct of our offi cers seriously, and are carrying out a full and thorough investigation. We expect the matter to be dealt with swiftly and to the full extent of the law.” The offi cer is on police bail as the criminal investigation continues. Free public school meal programme launched A public school programme that ultimately aims to provide free breakfasts, lunches and snacks to all 5,200 public school students, launched last week with the beginning of the new school year. The programme will eventually cost approximately $16 million a year, but due to government’s current fi nancial constraints, it has initially launched on a smaller scale, covering just primary schools and the Lighthouse School. Education Minister Juliana O’Connor-Connolly expects that free meals will also be available for high school students from January next year, if funds are provided as part of government’s next two-year budget. Speaking last week in Finance Committee, which approved $3.1 million for the programme through the end of the year, she said research had shown that there are “social, psychological, physical and behavioural issues when some of our children are coming [to school either] without meals or without proper meals.” The new programme is overseen by a nutritionist to ensure that the meals are healthy and to help prevent issues like obesity, she said. Matinees (matinee price before 6pm) • Seniors $8.00 (Mon-Fri before 6pm) Additional charges apply per 3D/VIP tickets 640-FILM (640-3456) Cayman Cinema@cbcinema6cbcinema6 SATURDAY NIGHT: For your viewing pleasure, minors under the age of 18 will not be admitted to any lm starting after 6pm, unless accompanied by their parent. WHAT’S PLAYING THIS WEEK CANDYMAN (R) (FRI-SAT, MON -THURS) 7:35 | 10:00 VIP ESCAPE ROOM: TOURNAMENT OF CHAMPIONS (PG-13) (FRI-SAT, MON-THURS) 6:45 | 10:00 (SUN) 6:45 | 10:00 | 10:10 VIP FREE GUY (PG-13) (FRI, MON -THURS) 4:05 | 6:50 | 9:45 VIP (SAT) 1:20 | 4:05 | 6:50 | 9:45 VIP (SUN) 4:05 | 6:50 | 9:35 | 9:45 VIP JUNGLE CRUISE (PG-13) (SUN) 3:35 | 7:15 VIP | 8:45 MALIGNANT (R) (FRI, MON & WED-THURS) 4:00 VIP | 7:20 VIP | 9:35 (SUN) 2:00 | 4:00 VIP | 7:20 VIP | 9:35 (TUE) 4:00 VIP | 9:35 PAW PATROL: THE MOVIE (G) (FRI, MON-THURS) 3:30 | 4:40 VIP | 5:45 (SAT) 1:10 | 1:45 VIP | 3:30 | 4:40 VIP | 5:45 (SUN) 3:30 | 4:40 VIP | 5:45 | 7:00 VIP SHANG-CHI AND THE LEGEND OF THE TEN RINGS(PG-13) (FRI, MON-THURS) 3:30 VIP | 4:00 | 6:30 VIP | 7:00 | 9:05 | 9:30 VIP (SAT) 12:30 VIP | 1:00 | 3:30 VIP | 4:00 | 6:30 VIP | 7:00 | 9:05 | 9:30 VIP (SUN) 3:30 VIP | 4:00 | 6:15 VIP | 6:30 VIP | 7:00 | 9:05 | 9:30 VIP SATURDAY NIGHT: For your viewing pleasure, minors under the age of 18 will not be admitted KIDS CLUB THE LION KING SATURDAY 10AM VIP AVAILABLE (1994) (G) 9:30 VIP CLASSIC JAWS (PG) TUESDAY 7PM weather Friday Forecast FORECAST Partly cloudy skies with cloudy spells and a 40% chance of showers. SEA STATE Slight to moderate with wave heights of 2 to 4 feet caymancompass.comfacebook.com/caycompass cayman_compass@cayCompassCayman Compass WINDS East to southeast 10 to 15 knots 89°F HIGH 77°F LOW PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY: Cayman Compass Ltd. Compass Centre, Shedden Road, George Town, Cayman Islands SEND US YOUR VIEWS OR NEWS: P.O. Box 1365 Grand Cayman, KY1-1108 Cayman Islands Telephone: (345) 815-0095 Email: newsdesk@compassmedia.ky ADVERTISE WITH US: T: (345) 949-5111 E: sales@compassmedia.ky W: caymancompass.com PUBLISHER KATHLEEN CAPETTA EDITORINCHIEF KEVIN MORALES FIND US ONLINE Caymancompass.com Facebook.com/Caycompass cayman_compass@cayCompassCayman Compass news in brief The CPA has approved an application to replace a failing seawall and a cabana on Boggy Sand Road, despite a DoE direction to reject the plan. - Photo: Taneos Ramsay cayman compass 2 N news FRIDAY, 10 SEPTEMBER 2021Disclaimer : FIN Grand Cayman features and amenities are based on current development plans and concepts and are subject to change without notice. Some services and amenities are subject to service-based fees or homeowner fees. 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Book a viewing today to discover why FIN is the Last Word in Luxury. cayman compass 3 FRIDAY, 10 SEPTEMBER 20211234567 89 101112 13 1415 16 171819 20 212223 2425 1234567 89 101112 13 1415 16 171819 20 212223 2425 ACROSS 1 Cast a spell on (7) 5 Unembellished (5) 8 Decrepit old car (3,6) 9 Subside under weight (3) 10 Greet enthusiastically (4) 12 High-ranking military officer (5,3) 14 Put an end to (6) 15 Full of complications (6) 17 Oily (8) 18 Fraudulent operation (4) 21 Excessively (3) 22 Ahead of the field (2,3,4) 24 Out of practice (5) 25 Messenger of Roman gods (7) DOWN 1 Foul up hopelessly (5) 2 Pallid (3) 3 Grasp the meaning (4) 4 To venture (6) 5 Urgent (8) 6 Sensitive to beauty (9) 7 Nocturnal (7) 11 German war medal (4,5) 13 Close examination (8) 14 Stroll (7) 16 Business patronage (6) 19 Turbid (5) 20 Carry (4) 23 Large flightless bird (3) The Compass Crossword Puzzle The Compass universal kakuro Puzzle 16793 The numbers in the black cells are clues. Numbers above the slash are across clues. Number below the slash are down clues. The goal is to enter digits 1 - 9 in the white cells to add up to the number clues. You cannot enter any digit more than once when adding up to clue. TODAY'S SOLUTIONS Puzzle 16793 ACROSS: 1 Bewitch, 5 Plain, 8 Tin lizzie, 9 Sag, 10 Hail, 12 Brass hat, 14 Scotch, 15 Knotty, 17 Unctuous, 18 Scam, 21 Too, 22 In the lead, 24 Rusty, 25 Mercury. DOWN: 1 Botch, 2 Wan, 3 Twig, 4 Hazard, 5 Pressing, 6 Aesthetic, 7 Nightly, 11 Iron Cross, 13 Scrutiny, 14 Saunter, 16 Custom, 19 Muddy, 20 Bear, 23 Emu. We are all familiar with the congestion of Cayman traffic but while we sit in our quiet, emission-controlled vehicle, there is a fleet of dump trucks which belch black diesel fumes, seemingly without any restraint. When the traffic is moving, some of these trucks compete with each other to race well above the speed limit and then use Jake Brakes to slow, with ear-splitting noise. Some police enforcement to reduce this pollution of fumes, noise and speed, would make our island cleaner, quieter and safer. Why isn’t this a priority? James Dunnett Dump trucks need to be regulated What they’re saying Online Letter to the editor hour ‘exercise’, etc. Bring it on! – Stephi Bodden A positive test is not necessar- ily an active case! The PCR testing is around 60% accurate. Why does this fact keep getting overlooked in the reporting? – Diane Ballmer Now imagine when none of these persons need to be in quarantine and enter the schools, where we have many children who can’t be vaccinated. – Priscilla Maragh We need to get used to this. It’s the way of the world. I’m in Scotland right now and every man and his dog has it. – Virginia Czarnocki Stop reporting cases. Report how many are actually sick and hospitalised… I’ll wait. – Amanda Branch Vierra Boggy Sand seawall/cabana plan approved We voted for change. Ever the optimist, I hoped that meant better judgement, adherence to the law and common sense decisions to protect our environment. God gave us a little jewel but we have not been good stewards. – Jenny Manderson Seriously?! Why and why? You cannot build into the sand. Not sure what I’m missing here? Has common sense been lost so soon by our new government? – Katherine Parsons Arch The sea in its wrath will serve justice since mankind policies don’t. Just looking at the structure extended onto the beach says it all. – Joseph Yates The people support the DoE’s direction on this matter; no amount of legal obfuscation and attempts to water down their powers on the part of the lawyers will change that. – Rory Joe McDonough So what’s the point of having a DoE and a so-called ‘more eco friendly CPA”? What a joke! Wayne Panton, please stop this! – Krystal Arch You’ve got to be kidding me. I don’t even know what to say. Why in earth do we even have a DoE? – Lorraine Clancy Ebanks The destruction of these so- called coastal places is at hand. Can’t wait for the next hurricane. – Sora Kazue Cayman for sale? Opinion divided over open property market Here’s an idea: implement property taxes on all non-resident property owners. If foreigners still buy, make it punitive based on how much time they actually spend on the island. Buy a property, pay property taxes. Buy a property and don’t visit and stay on the island for a minimum of six months, pay a surcharge for that. – Jeffrey Rankine If someone has the money, is prepared to pay the bills, keeps the property well, I don’t see a problem. – Julie Blount Freehold land and property rights only granted to Caymanians and for all others a 99-year lease- hold. The leasehold property goes back to government once time is up. This works elsewhere, so why not here? – Ann-Michelle Robinson Christian That ship has sailed. No one twisted the original landowners’ arms to sell to off-island people. They gave in to greed and are now having seller's remorse. Not only that, stamp duty is a huge income for the government. – Edward Jarrett 24 test positive for COVID-19 The borders are not of- ficially open as yet. While there might be no choice but to open the borders, the government needs to be clear to everyone that their decisions related to the opening of the borders are based on their finances and not on the best available science about the COVID-19 variants. – Bruce Smith I thought that you must be vaccinated before coming to the Cayman Islands! So why are there so many unvaccinated en- tering the country? Something doesn’t sound or look right. – Morna Lawrence Around one month before, they’d just be spreading the virus about town… Ready for another lockdown? – Dave Stone How? I thought y’all’s borders were closed? How y’all getting COVID on the island? – Jd Williams Lock down! Name days to go to the supermarket, one- With the proposed reintroduction of tourism to the Cayman Islands, what measures should be instituted to lessen the transmission of COVID-19? Mandatory quarantine period for all arrivals cayman compass ONLINE POLL 36% Reduce crowd capacity All of the above Infrastructure Social distancing Waste management Use of face masks indoors 31% 29% 28% 26% 22% 21% cayman compass 4 news N news FRIDAY, 10 SEPTEMBER 2021Mass_NRG_WhiteLine_Bleed_OuterMask_CMYK® / ™ Trademark(s) of Royal Bank of Canada. RBC and Royal Bank are registered trademarks of Royal Bank of Canada. RBC Cayman Islands will be hosting its first in person RBC Race for the Kids in 2021 Join us for a 5k walk/run at 6am on Sunday October 17th starting and ending at RBC Camana Bay branch in support of Big Brothers, Big Sisters of the Cayman Islands. Be a part of this global moment of giving as we continue to help our communities prosper. Register today at www.rbcraceforthekids.com, and then download our new interactive race app to get training. Cost: 30 CI until September 17th and 35CI from September 18th and includes a FREE T-shirt. Every step is a step forward in helping Caymanian youth WIN and reach their true potential. cayman compass 5 FRIDAY, 10 SEPTEMBER 2021NORMA CONNOLLY nconnolly@compassmedia.ky Two people from the same household, who have no travel histories, have tested positive for COVID-19 in the fi rst case of community transmission of the virus in the Cayman Islands since last year. Following contact tracing by Public Health, 24 other people were tested and all were negative, Chief Medical Offi cer Dr. John Lee said at a press briefi ng on Thursday, 9 Sept. Lee said both positive individuals, who are fully vaccinated, are symptomatic, but are “doing well”. One has been hospitalised at the Cayman Islands Hospital, while the other remained at home. Among the 24 who tested negative were four children. Two of those are students at Clifton Hunter High School who attended school Thursday morning, before being removed from their classrooms and tested, offi cials said. Education Minister Juliana O’Connor-Connolly said at the briefi ng that the school would remain open as the students had tested negative. All 24 of those who returned negative tests have been placed in quarantine for 14 days, and tracing of others who may have come into contact with the infected individuals continues, Lee said. Regulations requiring social distancing and the wearing of masks in public indoor areas have not been reinstated in response to the local transmission cases. However, Premier Wayne Panton said at the briefi ng that until it can be established how the two COVID- positive individuals contracted the virus, people should wear face coverings and keep a distance of 6 feet between themselves and others while in public places. He also advised people to avoid large social gatherings over the next few days until the source of the infection can be tracked down. HSA, Fire Service staff isolated Lee, speaking via Zoom at the briefi ng, as he is in quarantine after returning from the UK the day before, said the hospitalised person had not displayed typical COVID-19 respiratory symptoms so had not initially been considered a COVID risk by Health Services Authority staff. The staff members who attended the patient were subsequently tested and placed in quarantine. Also among the people tested and isolated after coming into contact with that patient were Fire Service staff who had assisted in bringing the person to the hospital. No change to reopening plans Panton said there were no immediate plans to push back the reopening of the borders to vaccinated visitors, tentatively scheduled for 14 Oct., but he noted that some level of increased risk was always anticipated as travel restrictions began to be eased. He acknowledged, “It makes the whole consideration of the plan more diffi cult but it does refl ect a reality. “There is no plan that avoids this type of risk. Nothing avoids this type of risk if we are going to have some degree of open borders.” ‘Waiting to happen’ Lee said the emergence of local transmission cases was “something that we’ve all been waiting to happen – I certainly have been waiting for many, many months... It only goes to show how easy it is for this very infectious virus to get into the community, the fact that we now have these two community cases.” Panton said that, given the close-knit nature of the neighbourhood and the family involved, police have “secured the area for everyone’s safety” and Travel Cayman has fi tted those in isolation with tracking devices which will be monitored by Public Health. He asked that the privacy of the family be respected. “I take this opportunity to again reassure the public that this situation is under control,” he said. “This appears to be an isolated incident, but the uncomfortable truth is there is going to come a point when COVID is prevalent in our communities,” he added. “This incident has also been a real-life reminder that our local context is and will be changing over time, and certainly 2 local COVID cases reported “It only goes to show how easy it is for this very infectious virus to get into the community, the fact that we now have these two community cases.” Chief Medical Offi cer Dr. John Lee PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 7» A symptomatic COVID-19 patient remains in isolation at the Cayman Islands Hospital. – Photos: Taneos Ramsay cayman compass 6 news N news FRIDAY, 10 SEPTEMBER 2021possibly in the near future. We encourage everyone to take necessary precautions to protect themselves.” Panton also implored members of the public that when they venture out of their homes, “especially going into enclosed areas with others, such as supermarkets, stores and restaurants, or if you’re interacting with vulnerable people, such as the elderly, we encourage you to wear masks and practice good hand hygiene”. Quarantine breaches By Thursday evening, Public Health staff had not been able to confirm how the infected individuals had contracted the virus. However, Commissioner of Police Derek Byrne, at the press briefing, warned of the inherent dangers of breaches of quarantine. In August, 52 suspected isolation breaches were reported, and 20 of those were serious enough to warrant police investigations, officials had revealed at a press briefing on 8 Sept. Two of those cases are expected to be heard in Summary Court during the week beginning 13 Sept., the police commissioner said. He noted that most of the cases that police had looked into involved relatives and friends visiting people in isolation, to deliver food or other goods and then staying around to drink or play dominoes with them, for example, rather than individuals leaving quarantine. Byrne said Cayman residents had become “overly relaxed” about the threat of the spread of COVID-19 locally. He reminded people that anyone attending a residence, in which people are quarantining, cannot enter the home, or come closer than 6 feet to them, or remain at the location for more than five minutes. Breaches of quarantine carry a penalty of $10,000 and/ or two years in prison if convicted, he noted. Governor Martyn Roper said it was becoming increasingly clear that many of the reported breaches involve members of the community “visiting friends and family, visiting travellers in quarantine, rather than travellers themselves deliberately leaving quarantine, but however it has happened, it should be a wake-up call to all of us that whilst quarantine measures remain in place, we try to get as many people as possible double jabbed.” As of 9 Sept., 74% of the population had received their first dose of the vaccine. Flu clinic reopens In response to the new local cases, the HSA has reopened its flu clinic, located next to the Accident and Emergency Unit at the Cayman Islands Hospital, and relaunched its 24-hour flu hotline numbers – 947-3077 or 1-800- 534-8600 – and email: flu@hsa.ky. The hospital is also reopening its Respiratory Care Unit, at which people with COVID would be isolated. Meanwhile, face masks are required on public buses and taxis, and inside HSA facilities, care homes and prisons, Health Minister Sabrina Turner said. Cases confirmed on first day of Phase 3 The first confirmed local COVID cases in a year came on the day Cayman entered Phase 3 of its border-reopening plan. This phase involved the reintroduction of tourists to the islands, as well as commercial rather than repatriation flights. Up until now, only people with connections to the Cayman Islands, or returning residents, whose incoming travel was authorised by the Travel Cayman government agency, were allowed to enter. All commercial aircraft, other than those operated by British Airways and Cayman Airlines as ‘repatriation flights’, were prevented from operating routes into Cayman until Phase 3 began. Despite now being allowed to fly here, most airlines that have expressed interest in resuming routes to Cayman have opted to wait to do so until next month, when Phase 4 of the reopening plan is scheduled to begin. Under that next phase, which is due to start on 14 Oct., quarantine for securely verified vaccinated travellers is supposed to be scrapped. 24 The number of people tested who had been in contact with the two infected individuals. 2 local COVID cases reported JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@compassmedia.ky Health chiefs are urging doctors not to prescribe high doses of the drug Ivermectin to patients concerned about COVID-19. The drug – typically used to prevent parasites in livestock and, at smaller doses, to treat intestinal worms in humans – had been highlighted as a potential treatment for the virus. However, it is not approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for this purpose and a number of studies did not provide evidence in support of any impact. Nonetheless, doctors globally have been inundated with requests for the drug and Cayman does not appear to be immune. Dr. Delroy Jefferson, medical director of the Health Services Authority, urged patients not to ask for Ivermectin and doctors to be careful about prescribing the drug. “I ask the community to be careful with what they are asking for with respect to prophylaxis,” he said. “Recently we have seen a number of persons going to the physician asking for Ivermectin at very high doses to be used as a prophylactic measure.” He said a patient had been given 75 tablets at a dose of 18 milligrams, which is higher than the recommended dose for humans. “I am using this platform to beg my colleagues not to do this,” he said at the government press conference on 9 Sept. He said there were “specific indications” – a medical term meaning a certain treatment is potentially advisable – for Ivermectin for patients with mild to moderate COVID symptoms. But he said this must be at the human dose and not at the “horse, cow and donkey dose”. Speaking to the Compass after the conference, Dr. Jefferson said the greatest threat was from patients attempting to “self- medicate” with drugs like Ivermectin at doses that are far higher than recommended. He said the drug, at the right dose, is appropriate for humans with certain conditions. But he added, “It is best not given to asymptomatic patients.” Jefferson said the drug should only be used under the careful instruction of a physician. He warned that taking it at high doses could cause diarrhoea and vomiting, and in the most severe cases, could lead to seizures or coma. Citing data from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, The New York Times reported last week that prescriptions for Ivermectin in the US have seen a sharp rise in recent weeks, jumping to more than 88,000 per week in mid-August from a pre-pandemic baseline average of 3,600 per week. The drug is not authorised by medical regulators as a treatment for COVID-19. “You are not a horse,” the FDA said in a tweet, reported by the Times, with a warning explaining that Ivermectin is not FDA-approved for treating or preventing COVID-19 and that taking large doses can cause serious harm. Calls to poison control centres about Ivermectin exposure have risen dramatically, jumping fivefold over their baseline in July. A recent review of 14 Ivermectin studies, with more than 1,600 participants, concluded that none provided evidence of the drug’s ability to prevent COVID, improve patient conditions or reduce mortality, the Times report added. “There is great interest in repurposing well-known inexpensive drugs such as Ivermectin that are readily available as an oral tablet,” Maria Popp and Stephanie Weibel, the authors of the review, told the newspaper. “Even if these circumstances seem ideal, the results from the available clinical studies carried out so far cannot confirm the widely advertised benefits.” Warning over ‘donkey doses’ of Ivermectin CONTINUED FROM PAGE 6 cayman compass 7 news N news FRIDAY, 10 SEPTEMBER 2021Risk to children from virus remains low JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@compassmedia.ky Anxiety over the potential threat of COVID in classrooms is casting a shadow over the new school term. Many parents have expressed concern about the possibility of Cayman’s borders reopening and the impact that could have on students. With no vaccine available for children under 12, the situation is fuelling concern over possible outbreaks in schools, once tourists return, and potential disruption to teaching and learning as a result. While COVID-19 poses a comparatively minimal risk to children, the faster-spreading Delta variant has impacted minors at a higher rate. At the end of August, children represented around 15% of all reported cases in the US and around 3% of all hospital cases. In the UK, health authorities deemed the risk posed to children from COVID-19 to be so small that the net health benefi ts of vaccinating children aged 12-15 would be minimal. It remains possible, however, that UK government ministers will overrule that recommendation from scientifi c advisers and push ahead with a vaccination programme. The UK has adopted a policy of ‘living with COVID’ after vaccinating 70% of its population, and schools there reopened this week without masks or social- distancing requirements. Cayman Islands Governor Martyn Roper said at a press briefi ng on Wednesday, 8 Sept., that the risks to children from COVID-19 remain “extraordinary low”. Citing UK data, he said the chances of children dying from the virus were around one in 500,000. The greater danger, he suggested, is that children contract the virus and spread it to unvaccinated adults. Premier Wayne Panton said a host of measures, including masks and social distancing, were being considered for Cayman’s schools once the borders reopen. “We need to over-prepare,” he said, at the briefi ng. “We have an obligation to parents and to the children directly to ensure they are able to go to school, they are able to be protected and operate in the safest possible environment. We are not going to cut any corners on that.” Schools put plans in place Meanwhile, school principals are keeping a close eye on the evolving situation. Jim Urquhart, principal of Cayman International School, acknowledged there were some concerns in the school community, particularly around new variants. He said it was possible that mask wearing and social distancing would be required in classrooms at some stage and school leaders are on standby for any new guidelines from health authorities. It might be wise, he suggested, to consider such policies prior to reopening, in an effort to get pupils into the habit in preparation for an increased risk of exposure. Urquhart said the staff vaccination rate is currently “97% and rising” and he does not believe it will be necessary to compel teachers to get the jab, though he said the school would follow the government’s lead if a policy is implemented. Parents who are not fully vaccinated will be asked to “limit or even refrain from coming on campus”, he added, to reduce the risk of children contracting the virus while in the school’s care. Practices including hand hygiene, enhanced cleaning protocols and staying home if ill, remain in place for the new school year while CIS has stocked up on personal protective equipment, in case that proves necessary. He said the previous reopening plan was being reviewed and the school was ready to implement appropriate measures as needed. “We must be collectively prudent in our community practices at home and at school,” he said. “Considering that in a typical calendar year, the most engaged of students spend about 20% of their time at school, issues around safety and the reopening of the Cayman Islands for all people on island regardless of age, requires a cooperative effort between homes, places of work, places of learning, services, places of commerce, places of recreation, tourism, visitors, places of worship and, of course, with families and friends.” Other schools are taking a similarly cautious approach as they await guidelines from the Department of Education Services. Joanna Boxall, owner of Little Trotters pre- school, said government had done an excellent job so far and she is confi dent that will continue. Once guidelines are released by education offi cials she said, “We will pull out all of the stops to comply, going above and beyond where necessary.” She said there had not been much concern or feedback communicated to her from parents at this point. “I think they trust that we are so passionately child-focussed that we will do everything in our power to protect, love and nurture their children as if they were our own,” she added. At St. Ignatius Catholic School, parish administrator Father Naveen D’Souza did not respond in detail to questions from the Compass, saying only that the school ensures “safety protocols are in place” and that these are communicated with parents and members of the school community. The Department of Education Services did not respond to questions from the Compass for this article. COVID anxiety casts shadow over new school term We asked readers – particularly parents of school-age children – what they thought of the prospect of the Cayman Islands reopening to visitors in October. Here’s what they had to say: The possibility of schools closing again concerns me. If children have to be at home and parents have to go to work, it [will be] hard to monitor schoolw ork or when they go online, and I know some teachers were very, very unreliable last year. - Tasheka Ebanks I am very worried about what this will mean for the children. There needs to be a more well- thought-out plan in place which prioritises the protection of this very vulnerable section of the population. - Julia Plumley I would love kids to be vaccinated prior to border reopening. My kid is at higher risk of serious COVID, and this really makes me nervous to have borders reopen. - Rachel Chiasson Jim Urquhart, principal of Cayman International School cayman compass 8 news N news FRIDAY, 10 SEPTEMBER 2021 Parents' verdicts: Concerned over possible school closures Concerned about kids needing to wear masks at school and the possibility of remote learning again. Neither is desirable. - Sandy Burrowes No fear in our home! We keep our bodies as healthy as we can and support our health wherever needed with vitamins, minerals and nutrients. We understand this virus is never going away and fearing it will cause way more harm. The survivability is highly in our favour, especially when it comes to children. I feel sad for all those living in such fear.” - Amanda Branch Vierra One only has to look at the news to see how this is going to go. Schools open, then close in three weeks. Fist fi ghts between parents over the masking controversy. This is the only place in the world where kids can go to school in any sort of normal environmen t. - David Wolfe✓ Keeps money in our economy. ✓ Local businesses employ our family and friends. ✓ Gives local businesses increased buying power. PROUD TO SUPPORT OUR ISLAND BUSINESSES Why support local? LIVING.KY FURNISHING DREAMS cayman compass 9 FRIDAY, 10 SEPTEMBER 2021Next >