Guyana is in a bad way

Mar 22, 2021 Features / Columnists, Peeping Tom

Kaieteur News- This last weekend, persons descended on the Miami Beach in droves with many not wearing masks and many more not practising social distancing. The result is now that a state of emergency has been announced for that area over fears that the weekend throng at the beach was a super spreader event.
Immediately an 8am to 6pm curfew was announced. Even if it is for a mere three days initially.
The BBC report on the incident noted that one man said he felt that he was at a rock concert. And we know what that means – people packed tightly and celebrating with abandonment.
Finally, some sort of responsible action is being taken in at least one area in the State. But elsewhere in the United States, the reaction by the authorities leaves much to be desired. This is the sort of decisive action, which is needed to stem the pandemic.
Coronavirus deaths have declined over the past two weeks. And while cases have fallen from their previous highs, what we are seeing is more a plateauing of cases rather than a steep decline.
It is obvious that the vaccination campaign, in which about 20 percent of Americans have already been vaccinated with at least one dose, is yielding some results. This despite authorities being cautious considering the threat, which is being perceived from new variants and the uncertainty as to the effectiveness of the vaccines on these new variants.
Meanwhile, 2000 miles away in a backwater country called the Cooperative Republic of Guyana, the authorities appear unbothered by the steep rise in cases over the past three weeks. Guyana’s death rate per case load is far higher than the United States which has one of the worst records in the world since the pandemic started. And while Europe is now experiencing what they refer to as a ‘third wave’, Guyana has had one long wave for one entire year.
The numbers may provide the full picture of the rate of infection and deaths because of low testing during the first five months and the too rapid easing of restrictions over the following seven months.
The number of active cases, which was looking hopeful not so long ago, has now more than doubled in a short space of two weeks. And if it keeps rising, as is expected, it will only be a matter of days before a record number of active cases are recorded.
But it is not only the government which appears indifferent to the rising deaths and cases. The populace also appears unperturbed. This may have to do with the lack of confidence in what the authorities are saying.
From the first day of the local epidemic, the public has had reservations about deaths and cases. And the recent spike in cases is bound to fuel speculation and further conspiracy theories.
Many Guyanese were adopting a wait-and-see approach. But many are also adamant that they are not taking the vaccine. And this is worrying since even though herd immunity is not likely to arise from vaccination alone, this immunisation process will save lives and reduce the spread.
As is shown in the United States, the vaccine is no silver bullet. That country is still recording more than 40,000 cases daily even though deaths have fallen to below 2,000 per day over the past week.
At the present rate of newly confirmed cases and the existing death rates, it is likely that at least two additional persons are going to die this week. This is terrible considering the size of the population and the fact that there are a sufficient number of vaccines now available for most of the over-60 population. But from the numbers being reported, it does appear as if there is massive vaccine hesitancy.
People do not appear to be coming forward to be vaccinated in the numbers, which are needed to stem the high death rate. After almost two weeks of vaccination, only 15,000 Guyanese have been vaccinated.
The Ministry had indicated that about 7,000 persons could have been vaccinated daily. And even if one accepts that it is quite prudent and normal for the initial roll out to be very low and cautious, 15,000 cases after almost 10 days of vaccination is pitifully low.
And it is all the more worrying considering the fact that we are in what appears to be a surge of infections and deaths, something which should encourage people to be vaccinated.
The people who are being vaccinated at present are the same people who generally would have been taking precautions by wearing masks and social distancing. They are protecting themselves further.
But there are tens of thousands out there who are walking around without regard for the COVID-19 regulations. And who, if given the chance, would attend any super spreader event which is held in Guyana at present.
(The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of this newspaper.)