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CARPHA urges enhanced vigilance in response to COVID-19 UK variant found in the Caribbean

January 28, 2021

(Port-of-Spain, Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, 28 January 2021) Since the COVID-19 disease was declared a pandemic in March 2020, at least six (6) variants have emerged. However, three new variants of concern are spreading rapidly. The United Kingdom variant known as B.1.1.7; a variant called 1.351 which emerged in South Africa; and the variants P.1 and P.2 which surfaced in Brazil.

The “UK variant” (B.1.1.7 variant), which emerged in September 2020, has been identified in 60 countries globally and recently, in some Caribbean countries. Initial data suggest that the UK variant is more transmissible, and studies and analysis of the transmission and severity of the variant are underway.

“This increased ease of transmission of the UK variant is of grave concern for its impact on public health, and the fight to contain and end the COVID-19 pandemic. This is further heightened by the fact that, at present, the vaccines developed have not yet been proven to stop disease transmission but rather to lessen the severity of infection. There is no reported evidence of a reduction in the effectiveness of vaccines approved for the
COVID-19 virus in providing protection from any variants. However, it is important to note that vaccinated persons may still spread COVID-19,” said Dr Joy St. John, Executive Director of the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA).

With the discovery and proliferation of multiple COVID-19 variants, it is crucial to properly and consistently employ and increase the public’s adherence to COVID-19 control measures, which have been shown to reduce the spread of the disease.

Dr St. John further stated “CARPHA is committed to supporting its Member States to stopping the spread of the virus. We urge Member States to enhance surveillance in residential institutions and face to face educational settings. There must also be strict adherence to the requirements of negative COVID-19 results for entry to the ports in the Member States, to effectively continue combating COVID-19 spread in the Caribbean. Mandatory quarantine has become even more important to curb the spread of the virus.”

Community surveillance should also be enhanced thereby strengthening public health control measures. Individuals must continue practicing the measures of wearing face masks and covering, physical distancing, and hand sanitation in all face-to-face settings.

It is critical to remember that as most cases will have no or mild symptoms, COVID-19 cases may quietly increase in the community and result in sudden increases in hospitalisations and deaths. The first line of defence continues to be isolation of infected persons and quarantine of travellers and any person with known or possible exposure to infected persons.   These measures must be practised by all individuals as asymptomatic persons are known to be able to spread the virus. Adequate testing is critical to surveillance measures for residential institutions, face-to-face schooling, celebratory and religious gatherings, and other potential spreader and super-spreader events and activities.

The CARPHA Medical Microbiology Laboratory (CMML) remains committed to delivering prompt COVID-19 test results to the Region and is working with its Member States in their submission of positive SARS-CoV-2 to be sequenced. The CMML has been guiding laboratory action through testing protocols based on the latest recommendations by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO). With the emergence of the UK variant in the Region, it is of critical importance for CARPHA Member States to conduct genomic sequencing to identify this variant.

Currently, COVID-19 samples are received by the CMML from Member States. The CMML performs acceptance testing before they are sent to the University of the West Indies (UWI), St Augustine, Trinidad and Tobago, for genomic sequencing to be performed. Following the sequencing process, the UWI sends the results to CARPHA for final review and reporting. Sequencing is a lengthy process that includes experimental and sequence analysis procedures, and the estimated turnaround time to obtain any relevant conclusions can take up to 2 weeks from the receipt of samples at CARPHA.

Results received from the UWI are sent by CARPHA directly to the Chief Medical Officers at the Ministries of Health, who are responsible for dissemination through nationally established channels of communication.

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WHAT IS PANCAP?

PANCAP is a Caribbean regional partnership of governments, regional civil society organisations, regional institutions and organisations, bilateral and multilateral agencies and contributing donor partners established on 14 February 2001.  PANCAP provides a structured and unified approach to the Caribbean’s response to the HIV epidemic, and coordinates the response through the Caribbean Regional Strategic Framework on HIV and AIDS to maximise efficient use of resources and increase impact, mobilise resources and build the capacity of partners.

What are the Global AIDS Strategy 2021–2026 targets and commitments?

If targets and commitments in the strategy are achieved:

  • The number of people who newly acquire HIV will decrease from 1.7 million in 2019 to less than 370 000 by 2025
  • The number of people dying from AIDS-related illnesses will decrease from 690 000 in 2019 to less than 250 000 in 2025.
  • The goal of eliminating new HIV infections among children will see the number of new HIV infections drop from 150,000 in 2019 to less than 22,000 in 2025.

What are the 95-95-95 Targets for ending AIDS?

  • 95% of People Living with HIV know their HIV status;
  • 95% of people who know their status on treatment; and
  • 95% of people on treatment with suppressed viral loads.

HELPFUL LINKS:

Global AIDS Strategy 2021–2026, End Inequalities, End AIDS
https://pancap.org/pancap-documents/global-aids-strategy-2021-2026-end-inequalities-end-aids/

Caribbean Regional Strategic Framework on HIV and AIDS (CRSF) 2019-2025
https://pancap.org/pancap-documents/caribbean-regional-strategic-framework-2019-2025/