The Tribune

EDITOR, The Tribune.

I travelled to the United States in July when the borders first opened, and was in three different cities. I also went again in September this time travelling from different states. Although there is a pandemic, what I realised was that persons were working as normal, but the set ups were different. In fact, clothing stores, malls, food stores, restaurants and bars, etc. were all opened and not just to curbside services, but also indoor services too.

Life has become different in the way we all manoeuvre but for America and other countries like China, Taiwan, and Vietnam daily life has somewhat returned to normal. We must ask the questions; what are these countries doing, how are they keeping the virus under control, how is their economy still flowing?

We are eight months into this pandemic and we are completely stuck on a cycle of continuous lockdowns with no definitive plan for job and economical reform, healthcare and education. In my opinion, we acted too late which placed us on being reactive instead of being proactive!

When this virus touched our country and the cases grew, the first step was a lockdown and I was very much in agreement to help stop the spread but there was a lockdown after a lockdown and to date, still a lockdown. This administration says it works on statistics, but what they really did during the lockdowns was waiting and squandering to see what would happen instead of being proactive.

We have seen the case numbers gone up and also down. At one point earlier on, it was as if we were on the right track by stopping the spread and curving the number of cases. But as we see, we didn’t.

This administration has proven that their only hope is a lockdown as if it was a bad dream and that it would go overnight. The Competent Authority by now should realise that lockdowns do not change the situation of the virus, it buys us time and quite frankly, time is running out!

We don’t need another national address. We need an address with a plan. We need an address that focuses on strategies to deal with this virus. And the answer is not lockdowns; it can’t just be that.

What we need right now is a better system, a working system that helps with tracing and testing, a system that allows free testing; drive-up testings where individuals are able to get their results back in 24 hours. This would help curve the numbers big time. Not only that but with the information of each patient, contact tracing would be more effective.

We need stronger guidance on measures as it relates to COVID. Making people further aware about staying away from crowded places and badly ventilated spaces, using masks and carrying sanitisers. Each member of parliament should have already donated masks and hand sanitisers to their constituents by now.

This virus is still in a study stage. This pandemic is here for awhile, and while we wished it went away; while we hope that it just disappears, is not reality. But locking us down is continuously hurting the economy. We must take advantage and learn what these other countries are doing. Look to bringing in consultants to help us. Because we need help! This course we are on, I am afraid for our future.

DR MATHEO SMITH

Nassau,

October 25, 2020.