Tuesday, October 27 2009

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NONSENSE TO CLOSE COURT: Dr Helmer Hilwig, right, head of the Accident and Emergency department at Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex, and Dr Sola...

“Nonsense” was how Clinical Director of the Adult Accident and Emergency, Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex, Dr Helmer Hilwig said the closure of the court 48 hours after a police officer was suspected of having swine flu.

He said closing the court days after the officer was at the building was “not rational and not based on any scientific evidence”. Hilwig said information he received was that the officer fell sick last Friday and for the Court to be closed on Monday did not indicate any knowledge of the survival of the virus which could not survive more than eight hours after being deposited on surfaces.

He questioned the rationale for trying to bring in Rentokil. Hilwig said, “the virus is long dead. Even if the officer was in court today and coughing in the direction of the jury and judges. Then emptying the court room, yes, that is a good idea.”

He said information on flu contamination and cleaning was available at the website of the centres for disease control at cdc.gov/h1n1flu/qa.htm.