Swine Flu Victims Discriminated

[LadyDeath]

'IT'S LIKE YOU HAVE AIDS': Cheryl Antoine was tested negative for swine flu, then positive days later.

YOU do not need to have swine flu to be discriminated against here in Trinidad and Tobago; all you need is flu-like symptoms and you will be looked at like a parasite, according to one victim.

"If you cough or sneeze too hard, people around you will jump up and move away. It's like you have AIDS or something and you want to infect them," says Cheryl Antoine.

The 35-year-old travelled to Miami on June 8 and returned home on American Airlines Flight 1647 on June 11. When she got back, she did not feel ill until the next day, but by then, she thought it was the normal flu she got from travelling.

Antoine then decided to visit the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex in Mount Hope on June 15. While testing her, she said the medical officials there treated her with the decency she deserved and said they would call her with the results. The next day, they called and said all tests for H1N1 came back negative, so she was free to go about her business.

And on June 17, that is exactly what she did, since she is a self-employed single mother of two.

"I have a clothes store, so I went to the airport to clear my goods. When I went up to the counter to sign some papers, the man there had to give me his pen, but when I coughed, the man refused to take back the pen and ran away from me saying 'she infected'. I mean, how ridiculous is that?" she said at her Laventille home yesterday.

On June 18, however, someone from the EWMSC called her again. This time, they told her the test did in fact come back positive so she needed to stay home, open the windows and keep the fans off.

"That was the stupidest recommendation I ever get from a doctor. It's like they send you home to die. They did not tell me what kind of medication I should take or if I shouldn't take. But I didn't bother with that, I went to the pharmacy and I buy everything I could buy for the cold. And while I was home, I drink a real big bottle of coconut water to flush everything out of me," she said.

At that same time, the doctor also told her that the incubation period was seven days, and hers was over. So Antoine told the Express that she went to work on Labour Day, because she felt fine.

However, Health Ministry officials urged her to wear a mask when going out in public and to carry her children and other household members to be tested.

"I took my children to the Laventille Health Centre this morning (yesterday) and the way them people treat them was like if they had some kind of major contagious disease when all this thing was, was a flu," she insisted.

Relating the horrific ordeal to the Express, Antoine said the officials had them waiting out in the health centre's back yard. They even told everyone not to go near them and shouted at anyone who ventured too near. When the actual testing time came around, the doctor stood three feet away from her ten-year-old son to swab his throat.

"But the worst really happened when the swab fall on the ground. The man (doctor) jumped back and tell everybody 'don't move'. It was like the thing will explode or something. Well that get me so mad, you wouldn't believe," she said.

Luckily for her, results from those swabs came back late yesterday evening, stating her children were in the clear.

Meanwhile, with the Health Ministry reporting 25 confirmed cases, the majority being in Tobago, a reliable medical source told the Express that those medical officials at the Laventille Health Centre who treated Antoine's children acted irresponsibly, because swine flu was in fact nothing more than a flu. And once treated correctly, with proper hygiene, one will decrease all chances of catching it.

"People do not need to treat people like lepers, this virus has so far proven to be mild and controllable, so the only thing you need to do is practise proper hygiene," the source stressed.

This is real stupidness i cannot believe after a death of a child that they wouldn't even have a little consideration and care

 

[RauCous]

This make me laugh in the beginning cuz the public still dont know what swine flu is they really do think like its aids. But WHATDEFOOK at the health officials them should know that swine flu is nothing to worry to death about. Its just another flu.. with a name. Most people who get it wont need to be medicated, its not fatal to people with healthy immune systems. It's the symptoms they treat and the flu passes on its own. The people who should be concerned about it those who are diabetic, asmathic, pregnant or have some respitory illness. Not even old people at more risk than anyone else. The swine flu is mild to moderate, mild meaning you can hold it off on your own home. The thing to do is not spread it. Dont be sneezing on people and stuff cuz you dont know how they would cope with it.. that and it just plain nasty. All real doctors would stress on propers hygiene to stop the spread thats all thats needed. Not overdoing it with the masks and gloves and hand sanitizer. lol.
Them people who work in the clinic is not real health workers at all. Health workers should be used to see all kinda nastyness the flu is nothing compared to some things out there. Its not even airborne... if it was we'd all have it by now.
I disappointed in them people... how could you serve the public and be so ignorant and scornful. Like i said somewhere swine flu is not the disease.. scornfulness is. hmmm.

 

[LadyDeath]

Yes it is i find that real amusing to be honest at the people's reaction how they did but it sad to know how he scorned the little boy. Them doctors so stupid is ashame

 

[admin]

Again are if the health system meaning the hospital's staff react to the swine flu like this are we really ready for swine flu or any pandemic for that matter.

 

[LadyDeath]

i think not. the docs are not handling this professionally like any doc would trinidad docs are just wussies..ent if they sign up to be doctors ent they would know they would have to deal with all these things so they are unprepared

 

[RauCous]

You guys make it sound like the rational, sane, intelligent doctors suddenly and drastically devolved into irrational, paranoid, ignorant germophobic quacks. The ones who acting all frightened were always quacks and posers its only now the ignorance showing. They never cared or known about the health system or its purpose. Just like 75 percent of our nurses are the least hospitable people in the whole of trinidad, 30% of our doctors are quacks. This is the reason we had to import all those Cuban medical personel, people were complaining but the point was many of our health people just not up to standard. The Cubans at least have a better work ethic and know their medicine. Trinidad is full of fakes things like this always makes it easier to spot them... it doesn't mean they spontaneously appeared.. They were and are always there. We should use this to weed them out and fire them.
The woman who was in the story experiencing even more discrimination now that her story aired. People still sayin she contagious and thing and avoiding her. There's a lesson here.. dont promote your victimhood ignorant people would never let you live it down. Dotish people.
Seriously having swine flu wont make you more famous. lol.