The Tribune

That wasn’t what we expected.

Just a week ago, Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis was locking the whole of New Providence down without notice, albeit a decision that was swiftly reversed.

Yesterday, he tells us we’re going to open up at the end of the month. Talk about a 180 degree turn.

Last week, Dr Minnis pointed towards the possibility of a hurricane that never came – thankfully – as part of his reasoning for changing his mind on a full lockdown, but yesterday he acknowledged there was an outcry by Bahamians not prepared at short notice, while not quite bringing himself to say that was behind his change of heart.

There were other surprises too in yesterday’s press conference – the return of advisor Dr Merceline Dahl-Regis for one, and a disturbing surprise, the increase in the number of deaths to 46. That figure needs some explaining – it now includes “deaths under investigation”, while previous dashboards have had errors that have now been apparently cleared up. Those problems with data are not comforting, as the daily dashboards are sometimes all the insight the public gets each day on how we are progressing in the fight against COVID-19.

Indeed, problems with the data also lie behind the change in approach from lockdown to opening up. Part of the problem was a backlog of tests and data. Once experts got through that, they were able to give a more accurate recommendation to the government based on what the situation is now, not what it was a week ago. In essence, we were sending the fire brigade to where the fire was, not where it is burning right now.

There were some intriguing facts too – such as the occupations with the most workplace exposures. The uniform branches were on top of that list by a distance, followed by healthcare workers, then construction, then government and administration. Retail was next – which suggests that in large part, businesses have been doing the right things. All those shops that have been soldiering through and keeping people supplied, take a bow. You’re on the right track.

The number of cases by nationality also brought an eyebrow raising number – that zero cases were visitors. Not one.

We welcome the prospect of reopening the country further – as long as the data is guiding the government on the right path. We admit to surprise given the direction the government seemed to be going in, with the rise in cases and even with the daily dashboards getting later and later in the day suggesting difficulties behind the scenes. Sunday was the first day when a dashboard wasn’t released at all – delayed until today’s press conference. We also wondered whether the frustration aired by businesses in Grand Bahama played a part in focusing the government’s mind.

It is good news that the government feels we can go on the front foot. There are of course caveats. Just as things changed in a week to become more open, so too could they change before we reach the end of the month to close things down again.

One thing the Prime Minister said rang true about that, however. He said that it’s not just down to government, it’s down to us all. Wearing a mask should be an act of patriotism, done to make our nation healthier. Washing hands should be a matter of habit by now. We can speak up when we see someone not keeping their distance or with their mask down around the neck or missing entirely.

We would also note that rise in the number of deaths to 46. With those deaths under investigation, that number might drop a little as well as rise if other explanations for particular deaths are found, but what won’t change is the number of families mourning a loved one. We extend our sympathies to them all, and renew our determination to ensure as few of our fellow Bahamians as possible find their own lives in danger. We can do it. We must.