Dr Duane Sands
By TANYA SMITH-CARTWRIGHT
tsmith-cartwright@tribunemedia.net
AFTER New Providence and Abaco spent the weekend in lockdown, former Minister of Health Dr Duane Sands said the country needs a national reset to deal with the rising COVID-19 cases which are “at least twice the amount” reported.
Speaking to The Tribune in between visiting patients in hospital, Dr Sands said it is clear COVID-19 is now rampant in The Bahamas.
“We need lockdowns only to recalibrate our response,” Dr Sands said, responding to questions from this newspaper.
“It is clear that COVID-19 cases are rampant. Having reached the unfortunate 5,000 confirmed case threshold and acknowledging that the actual number of cases is at least twice that amount, we need a national reset.”
In recent times, Dr Sands has spoken out against the Minnis administration for its handling of the coronavirus pandemic and has questioned putting sweeping powers in the hands of the competent authority, Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis.
He also recently said he did not support extending the country’s state of emergency to October 31.
Just last month Dr Sands said notwithstanding the hard work and noble efforts, the nation is “not winning this battle” against COVID-19. Dr Sands was also adamant that testing was inefficient to justify fully reopening the country.
At that time The Bahamas ranked 36 out of 215 countries and territories around the world in cases of the coronavirus per capita. As of yesterday there were just over 5,000 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in The Bahamas and 107 deaths.
Dr Sands said diagnostic testing for COVID-19 is critical to tracking the virus, understanding the epidemiology, informing case management and suppressing case transmission.
Asked how long he thinks it will be before medical officials see a drop in the number of cases in the country, Dr Sands could not give a definitive answer.
“How long? It is difficult to say,” he responded. “We are likely to see more cases and deaths unless there is a national buy-in to a clearly articulated policy and plan.
“What we need is a plan for a safe Bahamas that embraces best practices in commerce, education, trade etcetera. Such an approach would require general consultation and consensus or at least compromise. Those conversations are not happening enough.”
Prime Minister Minnis accepted the controversial resignation of Dr Sands in May of this year.
It came after Dr Sands, along with others, allowed six permanent residents who landed in the country with COVID-19 testing supplies to quarantine at home before they produced a negative COVID-19 test result.
Former Minister of Transport Renward Wells, a mechanical engineer, has since taken up the charge to lead the Ministry of Health.
In late September, The Tribune reported that the true number of COVID-19 cases in The Bahamas is estimated to be many times higher than the confirmed tally, according to three international groups that have created epidemiological models of the virus.
The models of the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME), the Imperial College London (ICL) and the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) offer different estimates but reach the same conclusion: the number of COVID-19 cases in the country far exceeds the confirmed number of cases.
Comments
trueBahamian 4 years, 2 months ago
Ok. Interesting! While I would agree with Dr. Sands here, I think he should do everyone a favor and articulate what should be done to stop this issue. We're in crisis. If you have a solution or potential solutions, put it out there. This is not the time to point a finger and complain and wait for the current administration to fail.flat kn their faces. When they fall in their faces, that means a greater catastrophe for our people. Dr. Sands, it's time for you to take a higher ground and add your thoughts along with those around you to assist in solving this problem. We know the current administration is a disaster. But, let's get through this first and deal with them later.
whogothere 4 years, 2 months ago
Lockdowns have been tantamount to holding your breadth under water to escape what you think is a flock of killer flying dinosaurs. You buy yourself a minute but now you’re exhausted and you’ve got to drowning to think of on top of those killer flying dinosaurs....which as it turns out are actually seagulls and not much a threat at all (unless you’re allergic to seagulls) but now that you wasted all this energy fretting about killer dinosaurs you really are f***ed and so exhausted, you drown....That’s story everywhere alas...the only way through is they way they did in every other pandemic - soldier on, wash hands, sneeze into your arm not peoples faces and if you vulnerable sit your ass at home!! The young get immunity, Corporate pill pushers don’t get their happy ending, economy limps a long and well, the earth keeps turning...
tribanon 4 years, 2 months ago
Sands is clearly not the solution to our many problems.
themessenger 4 years, 2 months ago
@trueBahamian, why don't you ask Brave to "do everyone a favor and articulate what should be done to stop this issue" as you and tribanon seem to be of the opinion from some of your previous posts that he has all the answers. It's OK for Davis to point fingers but not Sands? Not that it matters a hill of beans as they're both nothing more than a couple of pompous windbags, to quote an old Bahamian songwriter "empty barrels make the most noise!"
tribanon 4 years, 2 months ago
And to think even the most despicable Davis is supportive of posts like the one made below only 4 days and 3 hours ago - LOL:
"We had better take our nation back while we still can. What's being done here is worse than the Communist China Virus itself. Even the CDC and NIH (NIAID) all agree and have posted on their official websites that keeping people locked up in the confines of their home is about the worst thing a nation already experiencing community spread of the virus can do.
Our government should have long ago adopted health policies targeted at:
(1) protecting the more vulnerable in our society, i.e. the elderly and those with serious pre-existing medical conditions, including making sure they have access to an adequate supply of over-the -counter Vitamin D and Zinc supplements to boost their immune systems;
(2) keeping our frontline healthcare workers safe and our medical facilities adequately equipped with the protective gear, medications and other resources necessary to treat those who become seriously ill from contracting the virus;
(3) providing our population with an adequate supply of low or no cost disposable face masks and sanitizers, recognizing that there are many who simply cannot afford to buy these items; and
(4) making government and private sector work places as safe as practicable in order to keep as much of the local economy functioning as possible.
We need to put an end once and for all to the nonsensical stop-and-go lockdowns and temporary curfews that have been proven the world over to be the wrong way to go after community spread has already become rampant in a society, as is our case.
And Minnis (a medical doctor no less) has proven time and time again that he simply can't be trusted to do what's right and best for all of our people and our nation."
@themessenger: What say you now! LMAO
Topdude 4 years, 2 months ago
Tribanon if you sat in the Prime Minister’s chair you would see the big picture. Fortunately, for the future of the Bahamas you do not, because if you did you would see the big picture. Your naive suggestions fail to take into consideration the myriad challenges and issues involved in this Covid-19 pandemic. To prattle off a few naive suggestions without the benefit of the big picture might be orgiastic for you but when you have to balance multiple challenges It is a different proposition.
An objective review of our Prime Minister’s handling of this unprecedented pandemic and the resultant crisis will show that his performance is exemplary. Look at the tens of thousands of our fellow Bahamians whose lives were saved as a result of these lockdowns.
After you objectively calculate the costs and benefits of the Government’s handling of this pandemic you will be left with the easy conclusion that it has done the best that can be done under the circumstances.
Dr. Minnis and his Cabinet colleagues are not sadistic and take delight in the dying of their brothers and sisters. It takes a perverted mind like the one possessed by Tribanon to make such an imputation.
Shame, shame, shame.
ISpeakFacts 4 years, 2 months ago
Dr. Minnis and his Cabinet colleagues are not sadistic
Biggest joke of the day! You say this but have you forgotten that Minnis himself tried to starve the entire country for a week by closing food stores and water depots without any warning! Or what about the outrageous fines Minnis and his cronies gave out for breaking curfew and selling coconuts!
proudloudandfnm 4 years, 2 months ago
Top.... Damn.... You are delusional....
Wow....
trueBahamian 4 years, 2 months ago
To state that the government's performance is exemplary is amusing. We're down this road now because of the ill-advised reopening on July 1st. This was clear. This current situation shouldn't become a ping pong game of politics. Bad decisions were made and bad decisions continue to be made. There are some of us that hope for the best for our nation and we are really fed up with the bullshit from both sides of the aisle. Some of.us can bury our heads in the sand and say. "Great job Mr. PM!". But, logic and statistics don't move on politics. The people should be more compliant, yes. But, the government screwed up July 1st. Now in the midst of a complete disaster, they're full.speed ahead for another ill-advised reopening. Completely asinine! We vsnt get out of this problem if the government keeps.finding ways to exacerbate it.
trueBahamian 4 years, 2 months ago
I wasn't aware that I was pro-Brave. I didn't say he has an answer or believe he does. It's simple, the government has failed. This is not a debate on that topic. My point about Dr. Sands is simple. He is a doctor and former Minister of Health. He's also a very smart guy. So, he should have some ideas. I wouldn't expect Brave as a lawyer to have a great contribution to a health crisis. It's as simple as that.
If you're looking to find a political affiliation here, I'm critical of both parties. I think both are a disgrace and have done zero to improve the lives of Bahamian. Further I believe both parties to be visionless and overloaded with persons who are intellectually inferior to handle the roles assigned to them.
Too often Bahamians are caught up in political colors and lack objectivity. We're a banana republic ran by clowns and thieves.
proudloudandfnm 4 years, 2 months ago
Lock Nassau and Abaco down for three to four weeks, hard lockdown. While in lockdown get enough test kits to start a test, trace and isolate protocol in place so we can avoid further lockdowns.
And anyone found not to be adhering to safety measures should be made to work in our hospital and morgue after paying hefty fines. Let em see what they're ignorance contributes to...
trueBahamian 4 years, 2 months ago
And when we emerge from this lockdown, how many businesses are left? A lot of people in this country don't gave money to cover three to four weeks of food in one shot. You have to consider that.
If we punish people who violate curfews and who have parties, etc. we will solve part of the problem. The government needs to make better decisions. Out numbers were controlled prior to July 1st. We're going back to a reopening and our numbers are not under control. Also. I've yet to hear of a real strategy to handle increased cases which we will have when we reopen. The healthcare system is already collapsing under the strain. So, my friend we don't need a lockdown we need sensible solutions from people other than the idiots in Parliament.
whogothere 4 years, 2 months ago
Locking down Nassau will do nothing. It has done nothing. Why are we still talking about this....
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