THA Secretary of Health, Wellness and Family Development Tracy Davidson-Celestine was non-committal about whether her parents are covid19-positive and at a quarantine facility.

During a news conference hosted by her division on Friday, she was asked by the media about a rumour that she has family who are covid19-positive, which may have compromised her health as well.

After a slight chuckle, she responded: “I’m completely fine. I don’t know that I have been exposed to any persons who have had covid19 recently. If it is that I was exposed, then I would follow the rules and regulations and the precautions that we have been sharing with members of the public.”

Another reporter asked Davidson-Celestine if her immediate relatives – her parents – had tested positive and an allegation by people at the facility that her parents are getting preferential treatment.

She did not confirm or deny the allegations.

Davidson-Celestine replied, “The Tobago Regional Health Authority and the Division of Health, Wellness and Family Development would have taken the decision to provide facilities of care for everyone who is positive with covid – positive but well, and positive but unwell.

"We have also taken the decision that there are certain means and accessories that we would provide in that level of care. I am taking it that at this point in time, everyone who is in that facility or those facilities that have been provided would receive the same level of care.”

She added: “If there are any relatives of mine who have contracted covid19 and have been placed in isolation, I expect that they would be treated just like everyone else who has contracted covid19.”