AFTER battling the covid19 virus with the rest of the world for the last two years, TT is ready to begin transitioning from dealing with covid19 from the pandemic to the endemic phase.

A disease which is prevalent throughout the world is classified as a pandemic. An endemic disease is one which is regularly found among particular people or in a certain area.

While the world remains in the grip of the pandemic and TT must be able to respond to the emergence of any new covid19 variant, the Prime Minister said some of the measures the Government has implemented over the last two years to curb the spread of covid19 will be relaxed.

These include families travelling unmasked in private vehicles, increased numbers of people at places of worship and funerals, public transport being allowed to operate at 100 per cent capacity, public gatherings of up to 25 people being allowed, all public servants reporting for work on Monday (March 7) and the restart of team and contact sports.

But among the covid19 measures being retained is continued mask-wearing in public spaces.

Dr Rowley made these announcements in the House of Representatives on Friday. He recalled the events which TT and the rest of the world have had to endure since the pandemic began on March 11, 2020,.

Rowley was satisfied that to date, the Government "has done all that could reasonably have been expected to be done to preserve lives and balance the restoration and preservation of our economy."

TT, he continued, now stands at another milestone moment as it decides how it will live with covid19.

"It is time for us to allow for greater discretion and personal responsibility to prevail in the society," he declared.

But he underscored that TT must be ready at a moment's notice to intensify its covid19 response should new variants emerge.

"As a responsible government, at this time we cannot afford to abandon all of our public health measures which have served us well throughout the course of the pandemic."

Hence, he said, "Appropriate mask-wearing is an essential public health measure which should be retained at this time, especially due to the circulation of the extremely infectious omicron variant, which lends itself to aerosolisation and to significantly asymptomatic and mildly symptomatic disease."

Last December, the World Health Organization (WHO) re-emphasised the importance of continued mask use in light of the omicron variant.

"As such, mask use will remain in force at this time in all public spaces and places where there is public interaction."

But Rowley said, "Families will no longer be required to be masked in their vehicles. This change will also apply to marine vessels being used by families."

Restrictions will be lifted on the time allowed for for religious services and the numbers of people allowed to be present in places of worship for those services. But Rowley said, "Mask-wearing will continue to be required during services at religious places of worship."

The numbers of people allowed at graveside funerals will be