The government is clueless about how to stem the incidence of COVID-19

Aug 27, 2020 Features / Columnists, Peeping Tom

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Yesterday, Wednesday August 26th 2020, there were an additional 33 persons who were tested positive for the COVID-19 coronavirus. Interestingly, the total number of tests done was not provided, a fact that raises suspicions.
The Ministry of Heath attributes the massive increases in confirmed positive cases to increased testing. The increased testing is merely indicating the incidence and spread of the virus. It allows the health authorities to gain a better understanding as to the prevalence of the disease. Testing does not help to slow the incidence of the disease.
The public is alarmed about what is taking place. Guyana is still the undisputed epicenter of the virus in the Caribbean. The Ministry of Health needs to inform the population the steps it intends to take to slow the spread of the virus.
The PPP/C is boasting about its 50% increase in testing in three weeks as compared with the previous five months. It is however not bragging about the 50% increase in deaths in a mere three weeks as compared with the previous five months.
Testing will not slow the spread; it is merely an indicator of the spread. Social restrictions are the principal means to slow the spread and the government is not tightening the social restrictions.
The government appears clueless as to what it should be doing. Testing seems to be the plaster for every sore, when it comes to this outbreak. That and urging people to follow the COVID-19 guidelines.
A previous government had been intoning the people to do the same for more than four months. The people did not take them seriously and enforcement was lax. Now we hear about the police being used to enforce the regulations. Well, the history of police and enforcement is well-known.
One night one man was taking his girlfriend, an essential worker, to work. They were stopped by the police who accused the boyfriend of breaching the curfew regulations. He said he had to pay a bribe.
Thousands of persons can be seen not wearing masks. The police will have a field day in enforcing the regulations which require the wearing of masks. Some businesses are openly flouting the regulations concerning the wearing of masks. For the sake of making an extra dollar, they are allowing persons to enter their stores without masks.
Over in neighbouring Trinidad and Tobago, there is a campaign called, “Mask Up”, in which people are being encouraged to wear masks. Images are being shown of people wearing masks. At the least, the Ministry of Health should have had a similar campaign running locally.
There is now sufficient data available for the Ministry to get a handle on the main circumstances in which the disease is spread. Large groupings are major contributory factor to the increase in cases.
The government may have contributed to the recent spike by its silly decision to host an inauguration ceremony and to host in indoors. Hundreds of persons were huddled together in the lobby after the ceremony was over. There have been other incidents in which Ministers were seen meeting groups of persons. These sorts of events should be cancelled.
The markets are a problem area. There are far too many persons entering the markets without masks; there are far too many vendors selling inside and outside the markets without masks. This should not be happening.
Persons are being exposed to increased risks of contracting the virus. The vendors are once again crowding the pavements and most of them are not wearing masks. Try walking along the pavement on Regent Street and see how social distancing is being practiced by the illegal vendors.
The Minister of Health has to get his act together. He has to understand that testing is not the answer to slowing the spread. The country has to implement firmer social restrictions. This can include rolling back the curfew hours; closing all non-essential businesses for two weeks, having more persons work remotely, implementing mandatory rotation of staff for essential services where possible.
But the best of measures will fail, unless there is enforcement. Enforcements need to be decentralized. The Regions should be asked to take command of enforcement measures. Enforcement task forces should be established and should be given powers to enforce the social restrictions.
The most terrible news yesterday was the announcement that Guyana may not have access to a coronavirus vaccine until March next year. By that time, half the population will be dead, unless the infection rate is slowed.
Unless something is done, and done now, Christmas is doomed. It is not too late to try to save Christmas. But the Minister’s cool attitude within the Ministry of Health has to cease.
If within the next day or two, the government does not implement tighter social restrictions, a motion of no-confidence should be drafted and tabled for the first sitting of the National Assembly.

(The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of this newspaper.)

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