PRESIDENT Paula-Mae Weekes is in quarantine as a precaution against possible exposure to covid19 which her mother has contracted, said a statement from the Office of the President on Wednesday.

The statement said, "There will be no video Christmas message this year from Her Excellency Paula-Mae Weekes ORTT President of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago.

"This is because, Her Excellency's nonagenarian mother with whom she lives has contracted covid and, as is recommended, Her Excellency is in quarantine."

The statement said the good news was that Weekes' mother, who was vaccinated and boosted, experienced only mild symptoms and was now symptom-free but still being monitored carefully.

"President Weekes, also vaccinated and boosted, continues to test negative and is working from home during the quarantine period."

Since her swearing-in ceremony in March 2018, Weekes has lived at her private residence in Diego Martin with her elderly mother Phyllis Weekes, who Newsday understands is in her early nineties. Since that time her mother has had health challenges, even before her current bout of covid19.

At the official opening ceremony for the renovated President's House in St Ann's in December 2019, Weekes defended the $89 million cost of repairs saying the historical building must be kept in a state befitting the dignity and status of the office of President.

However she continued to live with her mother in her own home, with President's House hosting official functions.

President's House communications officer Cheryl Lala on Wednesday told Newsday, "She is doing her duties. She just can't come to the office. She is working from home and she is negative (for covid19)."

Lala said Weekes will issue a written Christmas message but not televised. "We will have a Christmas message, but it just will not be a recorded one."

She said it will be a change from a tradition of broadcasting a Christmas message.

"By now everybody's accustomed to seeing it on Christmas Eve and what not. That's the tradition, of all the presidents.

"But of course we are not doing a video because she can't expose the video crew. She's in quarantine. We would have had to have had in a video crew and everything. We can't do that."

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