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EDITORIAL: Listen to the voices of experts

As of Tuesday, April 27, 2021

Follow the science. That’s the mantra for many around the world in dealing with this pandemic, and it’s the same for Dr Merceline Dahl-Regis.

From special advisor to the Prime Minister through to her current role as chairperson of the National COVID-19 Vaccine Consultative Committee, Dr Dahl-Regis has been at the heart of the country’s response to the virus.

And when it comes to answering concerns over removing the testing requirement for fully vaccinated travellers, it’s science again that’s the answer.

“Are you able to transmit the virus after you’ve been fully vaccinated? That is the only discussion we need to have and how long after you’re fully vaccinated, do you need any testing? Now, the new guidelines, CDC guidelines (say) that once you’re fully vaccinated, you are protected. Further to that, the transmissibility of the virus, they haven’t documented that it doesn’t occur, but it does not produce significant illness.”

Science leading the way. Let’s look at some of what science has done so far on that path. It’s shown us that social distancing and wearing masks reduces the spread of the virus. It’s brought us a number of vaccines. When concerns have been raised about those vaccines, scientists have paused, assessed the situation and then proceeded accordingly.

The CDC in the US says that vaccines are safe, the World Health Organization the same. Here at home, we have expert voices such as Dr Merceline Dahl-Regis, Dr Pearl McMillan and Dr Nikkiah Forbes urging people to follow the protocols and to get vaccinated.

Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis and Opposition leader Philip “Brave” Davis may not unite on much, but they are both united on putting the vaccine in their own arms. The Governor General has followed suit.

Political leaders and religious leaders, senior uniformed officers and increasing numbers of family and friends have stepped up and taken the jab.

Are there challenges? Absolutely. Dr Dahl-Regis is the first to say that “the story is still being written. The research is ongoing and there’s no final chapter with COVID”.

But the science shows the path to getting through this pandemic – so why are so many listening to unaccountable voices on Facebook or Whatsapp rather than the experts at home and abroad who have studied at the best colleges rather than the university of Wulff Road?

Dr Dahl-Regis has been a steady voice throughout the pandemic, capable of speaking with confidence on the subject because it is her area of expertise.

We are glad she is still playing such a prominent part in matters – and hope her voice reassures those with doubts. Best hurry, though, if you want to get the first jab, the supply is starting to run short. Act now, or you may have to wait.

Missing woman

Where is Adriana Maria Caro?

The Cuban woman is allegedly being detained at an immigration facility – but no one seems to be able to find her.

A relative was led to believe she was being held at a detention facility or a safe house after a vessel she was on capsized off Cay Sal Bank last month. A total of 12 Cubans were rescued from that vessel, with another person found dead.

US officials told the relative to talk to Bahamian officials. She called the hospital, and the hospital said she had been in the emergency room there. A nurse later told her she had likely been transferred to the Detention Centre.

An officer at the centre told her that Adriana was “safe, in good health and well taken care of” and that she would be allowed one phone call. But when the relative called back, apparently the phone was broken and she would have to call another time.

When that time came, however, the relative was told Adriana was not there and that an error had been made.

An attorney making inquiries has also been told the woman was safe and would be able to speak to family – but then was told that he’d been given the wrong information.

So where is Adriana? And why does the information keep changing?

It’s eerily reminiscent of the story of Marvin Pratt, who was reportedly seen being taken into custody by police in December 2018, only for police to deny they ever had him in custody. Marvin has not been seen since.

Regardless of how Adriana came to be in our country, we ought to be able to keep track of detainees and inform family and legal representatives where they are and what their situation is.

The relative has even tried to contact Immigration Director Clarence Russell, but is still awaiting a response. As is The Tribune, after also trying to contact Mr Russell.

Has a woman disappeared in our custody? That’s a question Mr Russell ought to be able to answer – and to investigate if there are concerns. No comment is not acceptable.

More like this story

Comments

tribanon 3 years, 6 months ago

The Tribune's editorial staff incorrectly quote CDC guidelines as stating that "once you’re fully vaccinated, you are protected." Then The Tribune's editorial staff go on to quote Dahl-Regis as being the first to say that “the story is still being written. The research is ongoing and there’s no final chapter with COVID”.

It's all too obvious The Tribune's editorial staff are not following or questioning the science in an unbiased way, no doubt due their perceived need to push their own paymaster's politically motivated interests.

Bobsyeruncle 3 years, 6 months ago

Yes, bad reporting with incomplete context. The fully vaccinated protection refers to the individual who has been vaccinated. Dahl-Regis' statement regarding research still going on, refers to transmission of the virus by those who have been vaccinated. Two very different things. The main article in today's Tribune states it correctly

tribanon 3 years, 6 months ago

The truth is these mRNA vaccines will not protect us from variants of the Wuhan virus going forward, no more so then this year's flu vaccine will protect us from next year's predominant strain of the flu. Many now believe the Wuhan virus is a man-made (lab created) 'gain-of-function' pathogen. It belongs to the same family of coronaviruses as the common cold. And we all know there is no vaccine that prevents us from getting the common cold.

The Wuhan virus and its variants are likely here to stay for the very purposes that they appear to have been unleashed on the world, i.e. to cull the world's population of the weakest, most unhealthy and therefore most vulnerable among us, while at the same time making the rest of us dependent on periodic doses of an unending supply of vaccines to come. And that folks, is the very definition of population control.

ScubaSteve 3 years, 6 months ago

Well, the way we as humans are trashing and polluting this planet... some population control might not be a bad thing. I'm sure the environment, the animals, the oceans, etc would really appreciate it and start to heal itself if a sizeable portion of the human population was eliminated. Just a thought to consider!!

Twocent 3 years, 6 months ago

Let’s talk science. This is what science confirms... COVID is a new disease caused by a novel virus, SarsCov2, and the vaccinations developed for this have NEVER, repeat, never, been comprehensively studied in humans. In 2004, 2008, and 2012 there were studies done on ferrets and cats; with fatal outcomes. In short.... this is experimental and according to international agreement and ethical common sense participation should be by fully informed consent. Why, when the data clearly shows that it is a small demographic of the population who are at risk of severe disease outcomes, is such a drive for vaccination being pushed on everyone? Why, when the evidence shows that young people are not severely affected by the disease, are vaccines be pushed on them? Why, when in our own experience the disease can be controlled to the point of being COVID-free (remember last May) did our authorities and not utilize that further with keeping a National COVID-free bubble which could join other National bubbles? Why, when evidence based data shows certain medications and supplements work highly effectively at keeping people out of hospital, is one method the only one being promoted? Why, when scientific studies on the vaccines are still in progress until at least 2023, are people not being told that this is experimental and warned that there could be long term side effects? Why is an experimental medical intervention that has only been approved as such get this much support while medications with decades of safety data get sidelined? Why have our authorities and medical experts forgotten that this is a NOVEL virus and everything associated with it is new? Why would medical experts throw caution to the wind and put us all at risk of of a potential medical crisis which could overwhelm our health care system worse than any wave of COVID?
Following the science and evidenced-based data is not evidently the practice. Why?

Bobsyeruncle 3 years, 6 months ago

Finding a vaccine for the "Common Cold" is not that simple. The common cold is a generic term we all use. It is not a single virus, but a term we use when we get certain symptoms caused by different rhinovirus or adenovirus strains . There are over 200 variants of the "common cold" in circulation at any one time. COVID is a specific virus so all we have to do is find the specific key (vaccine) to unlock it. Since there are so many variants of the "Common Cold" we need to develop the equivalent of a master key to unlock it. Make sense now?

tribanon 3 years, 6 months ago

Like many others, I strongly suspect we will see in the comining years many variants of the Wuhan virus, perhaps more than exist today for the common cold. And that's likely because of the sinister 'gain-of-function' capabilities that were engineered into the initial Wuhan virus by state sponsored virologists under the control of the military arm of the CCP. I therefore seriously doubt a 'specific key' to shutting down this evil lab created virus can be found. Scientists around the world seem astounded at the extraordinary capabilities of the Wuhan virus. They are especially fascinated by how quickly it went into long term survival mode by creating significant variants of itself. History will ultimately record that these survival capabilities were gifted to the Wuhan virus by the evil virus researchers who created it in a Level 4 bio-hazard lab located in Communist China's Wuhan Province.

John 3 years, 6 months ago

Missing woman

Where is Adriana Maria Caro?

Least we forget the incidents where helicopters came in the dead of night and took prisoners out of the prison and out of the country. And if the police did not execute the 6 men and injure the child and female in Kemp Road, who did? How many agencies of foreign countries are operating in this country and what powers do the local authorities have to control their activities? One foreign country has at least 12 agencies operating in this country. The US, for example is having an re-activation of sorts of ICE, an agency that has been basically dormant since the Obama Administration. ‘ CE’s mission is to protect America from the cross-border crime and illegal immigration that threaten national security and public safety. This mission is executed through the enforcement of more than 400 federal statutes and focuses on immigration enforcement and combating transnational crime.’ Then there are the drug cartels..

Chucky 3 years, 6 months ago

They " disappeared her". No body, no accusations. Simply they can't have anyone face rape accusations, much less from a mere immigrant.

GodSpeed 3 years, 6 months ago

The "experts" cannot be trusted.

GodSpeed 3 years, 6 months ago

Please... Facebook is for 🐑 like you. I've never had an account on that spying/intelligence gathering/brainwashing website and never will.

tribanon 3 years, 6 months ago

Hear, hear. Good for you. Same here.

And I haven't used Google Search or any other Google apps for the last 15+ years. Same goes for Microsoft products.

GodSpeed 3 years, 6 months ago

that's impressive, we can't totally protect ourselves from these organs of the beast system but it's best to decrease the footprint as much as possible. Not using social media like Facebook is the least people should try to do but most of them are completely addicted and won't give it up even though it's proven on record that it's not good for their mental health, among other things.

themessenger 3 years, 6 months ago

Sure you don’t!! Folks like you and @godspeed do all your research and information gathering using the King James platform with new updates every other century. Lmao.

tribanon 3 years, 6 months ago

Surely you don't think Google and Microsoft have the only good web browsers and search engines? Then again, maybe you do. lol

bahamianson 3 years, 6 months ago

" follow the science", utter hogwash. The science was wrong from the start and maybe still wrong. The science is dealing with this the best way they can, but to say , follow the science like it is a definite , is ridiculous to say. India is known for people with profound dedication to science . Unfortunately, their scientist missed the boat and ill advised the prime minister. They did their best, but we will all bow to things we do not understand. the science has been eating humble pie for the past year. The scientist are laughable.

carltonr61 3 years, 6 months ago

Goebbels said that create sheep you repeat a lie often enough. They also said Iraq had weapons of mass destruction. Millions died, no wmd were ever found then end game, gas pipeline people got the contracts. Same here and around the world. Last year March us fools said Covid would lead to health passports. We say again that we will remain in a state of shifting Covid rituals and police state until 2023. No. But listen to heiress Goebbels. Gates expert propagandist who will march us all willingly with smiles on our faces into the gas chamber.

carltonr61 3 years, 6 months ago

https://www.rt.com/uk/522300-british-te…

We have expert script readers not scientists. All our experts do is repeat and mimicking what ever other Western gov do. Coming to a theater near you soon.

proudloudandfnm 3 years, 6 months ago

Man. Dumb ass trumpies really love vaccine news....

tribanon 3 years, 6 months ago

You really need to pull your head out of your.........

proudloudandfnm 3 years, 6 months ago

Rather it be up my own ass than up trump's..

Now go stock the detergent aisle and make sure all the boxes are lined up perfectly...

GodSpeed 3 years, 6 months ago

TRUMP 2024 - He's starting his rallies again next month. Get ready for the fake news media and corrupt Biden administration to attack him in fear. You'll be spouting their propaganda soon.

tribanon 3 years, 6 months ago

Pleeezzzz......@proudloudandfnm is wound up enough as it is! lol

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