To prevent SARS we must monitor incoming passengers

THE EDITOR: Please allow me the space in your newspaper to lend my voice to a situation that our medical fraternity needs to address.

If the SARS virus had originated in the Caribbean, no Caribbean national would be allowed into North America without a medical document from a reputable medical facility that was selected by the country in which they were going to. As a visitor to Canada in the past, especially as a farm worker, we had to undergo specific tests to show that we were not infected with tuberculosis or any other contagious disease. I hope that our Ministry of Health has advised that people coming from abroad must have in their possessions documents from medical facilities abroad, selected by the Government of Trinidad and Tobago giving them a clean bill of health. It is imperative that we carefully monitor visitors, as well as returning nationals passing through our various ports of entry so that we may minimise any risks of the SARS virus entering our atmosphere. Declaration forms must be made available to all incoming passengers, questioning them about countries they may have visited over the past few weeks. This is not a joking matter, let us be aware that SARS can be catastrophic.

RAS  KOMMANDA
Siparia