THERE was a lot of anticipation ahead of Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis’ national address last night – but did he deliver?
With COVID cases soaring and Dr Minnis reluctant to stifle the resurgence of the economy, he was caught between the devil and the deep blue sea.
So what did he do? He flipped the script. Rather than it being about what he would do to curtail the spread of the virus, he instead called on the public to do what it could to stop COVID short.
He pleaded with Bahamians to take the vaccine, and criticised fake news.
He pointed out that none of those who have died from COVID-19 have been fully vaccinated.
He urged businesses to work from home where possible and said government workers would be doing the same.
But mostly? He said it was up to us.
There are no big changes in lockdown, no shift in quarantine hours, no adjustments beyond what was already in place with regard to gatherings – just a strong push to get people to stay at home if they don’t have to be out, and to wear masks and keep socially distanced if they do go out.
There are some measures to help – some more medical staff being hired, Pfizer vaccines being offered to 12- to 17-year-olds with consent of their parents or guardians, a rethink of the Hubbcat system to monitor people in quarantine.
Dr Minnis also warned how in other countries people dying from the vaccine pleaded with medical staff for the vaccine only to be told it was too late.
We have – or are about to receive – vaccine supplies to keep on putting into people’s arms. It might not be enough yet, but it’s coming.
We have the knowledge of the daily routines we need to follow to minimise the spread.
Those are the biggest tools in the fight against COVID – and we need to use them.
Is that enough? Should we be shutting down more instead as in earlier waves?
That’s the decision Dr Minnis has had to make. It is perhaps the biggest gamble of his political career.
Is he doing enough to stop the spread of the virus himself? That’s a question he’ll be judged on whenever he does ring the election bell and the electorate gives its own verdict on his performance.
Hiring more staff tells you how much need we are in – or are going to be in – as this wave continues. Which brings us back to Dr Minnis’ main plea.
“As a medical doctor of 40-plus years, I recommend that you take the vaccine,” he said. “Do not listen to fake news over the medical science.”
The virus is not a hoax, and the fake stories about COVID-19 and the vaccine are not true.
So now we have a choice. Take the vaccine and save lives, or ignore it and watch the country get overrun with the virus. Put like that, it’s not much of a choice at all.
Comments
birdiestrachan 3 years, 4 months ago
Out of 34 Countries, you are 31, you are at the bottom of the heap. that is where the PM is with COVID.
He had already sent Mr Wells to do his dirty work. The Pastors had better make sure they have timepieces or alarms so that they do not go over time.
a whole lot of damage has been done. even the Churches will have a hard time recovering.
As far as Vaccines go the PM does not have the vaccine in place. so what is he talking about? Perhaps he wanted to be on TV. and so he was.
John 3 years, 4 months ago
The United States had over 92,000 new Covid-19 cases yesterday. More than double that of the next most active country, India, that recorded 44,000 new cases. The United States is now the world’s COVID HOTSPOT and will be recording over 100,000 new cases by weekend. When America sneezes, this country catches a cold and that is exactly what is happening with the Covid. Yet has there been greater restrictions imposed on persons traveling to this country from the US and vice versa? The four states with the greatest numbers of new cases are New York, California, Florida and Texas. States that not only do many Bahamians travel too, but where many of the tourists that visit this country come from. No matter how many restrictions are imposed locally, the corona numbers will not decline until the issues at the border are addressed. The islands that have the greatest amounts of tourists also have the greatest numbers of new cases. And in some smaller populations, a community outbreak can be directly related to recent travel. Do you know China has not recorded more than 50 new cases on a single day in over 14 months? And also no Corona deaths since May of last year. We are beating the carriage and trying to get the horse to move.
John 3 years, 4 months ago
FrustratedBusinessman 3 years, 4 months ago
It amazes me that Minnis would have the audacity to criticize Bahamians for rightfully being skeptical of what the government says when he has failed to give us a single reason to ever trust him, or the FNM, ever again.
What happened to not raising VAT? Scrapping the Spy Bill? Term limits? Recall system? Freedom of information act? Elimination of no-bid contracts? I could go on and on.
Minnis and the stooges in the FNM need to take a good look in the mirror to realize why the Bahamian people don't want to hear anything that they have to say. I have been a lifelong FNM and I can tell you that this is the worst FNM administration that I have ever seen. They are only marginally better than the previous Christie government. You know that you have failed as a government when Brave friggin Davis is more than likely going to be the next Prime Minister.
ThisIsOurs 3 years, 4 months ago
gee.... now I dont have to type. thanks
BONEFISH 3 years, 4 months ago
@ Frustrated businessman. The so call spy bill would have to be passed by whatever party is in power. That bill is merely the repeal and modernization of the Listening Devices Act of 1972. The Maycock extradition case that went before the privy council caused that. The senior command of the police force which Dr.Minnis hand selected knew that. The AG'S office also knew that.
carltonr61 3 years, 4 months ago
https://sputniknews.com/us/202107301083…
Why is ever dynamic new data called false if it does not fit their scare script. Tearful.
jus2cents 3 years, 4 months ago
It is up to us, he is right. Each and every one of us has a part to play.
Bahamians have a long history of being self-destructive, and true to form many of us are thinking and acting selfishly. They are selfish when they vote (we vote for bribes and a turkey's & not what's best for the collective) and selfish when it comes to taking vaccines, saying "I let others take that voodoo stuff it’s not going in my body!" (whilst eating hotdogs & KFC!)
So even though the PM is right about The Covid Fix being up to 'us', the selfish Bahamians amongst us, still won't do what is best for themselves and their nation, so we ALL now have to accept we are predestined to more adversity, we will just have to live with more people getting sick dying, more strains of Covid and cross our fingers the economic impact scrapes by. We will have crime, death and poverty on a scale never seen before.
tribanon 3 years, 4 months ago
Re-post from a few moments ago:
The waning efficacy of the mRNA vaccines is now supported by both an ever increasing number of 'break throughs' as well as scientific studies showing that anti-body levels in the vaccinated exponentially diminish over a relatively short period of time resulting in minimal if any protection after about 8 months.
This waning efficacy is the reason why the mRNA vaccine manufacturers like Pfizer and Moderna have already publicly announced that one or more boosters in addition to the first two jabs will be necessary. The big pharma manufacturers are trying to persuade the FDA that additional experimental booster(s) are needed to help the body's immune system (T-cells) develop a more lasting memory effect to defend against future infections.
Meanwhile persons who were infected and have recovered from the Wuhan virus and its variants are exhibiting a much more lasting duration of immunity, possibly for many years.
But so far the science is not supporting the booster requirement claims made by the big pharma mRNA vaccine manufacturers. And the FDA, having over the years been accused many times of being 'in bed' with the very greedy giants of big pharma, is now under intense scrutiny and has so far refused to approve the additional experimental booster(s).
The two biggest and most greedy mRNA vaccine manufacturers, Pfizer and Moderna, and the despicable US congressmen they bank roll, are now wrongfully exerting intense pressure on the FDA to act without the necessary scientic evidence because the cost of manufacturing the booster(s) cannot be underwritten (paid for) by the US government (US taxpayers) without being approved for experimental use on a voluntary basis by the FDA.
Just like the Wuhan virus and its variants cannot survive and thrive without human hosts, the enormous windfall profits of the mRNA vaccine manufacturers and testers cannot continue and grow without the creation of a highly controlled Vaccine Dependent Global Society. And this is possibly the 'very evil intent' that all of mankind must guard against happening no matter what.
Honestman 3 years, 4 months ago
According to Bloomberg today, just over FOUR BILLION doses of COVID vaccines have been administered worldwide. If there were major and unacceptable risks associated with the vaccines don't you think that would be more than evident by now given a sample of FOUR BILLION?? But here in The Bahamas, we know better than the scientists and peoples of the world. Because we are Bahamian, we will delay taking our jabs and wait for these FOUR BILLION people to admit they were wrong and we were right. Meanwhile we will watch our family and friends suffer a horrible and often long lasting illness, our hospitals unable to cope and bodies pile up in the morgues like never before. Eventually we will be "red listed" and advisories will be issued warning against travel to The Bahamas. But hey, at least we will have stood firm against Big Pharma.
ohdrap4 3 years, 4 months ago
WHY DIDN'T YOUR FAMILY AND FRIEND TAKE THE VACCINE, HUH?
whogothere 3 years, 4 months ago
"Vaccinated people infected by Delta variant appeared to carry as much virus as those in unvaccinated cases"
Oops.. So I guess all those little yellow cards are useless..
https://www.wsj.com/articles/cdc-says-n…
Honestman 3 years, 4 months ago
Stupid comment. Those little yellow cards stop you becoming seriously ill or dying if you do catch the virus. Ask those in ICU at PMH if they wished they had got those little yellow cards!!
whogothere 3 years, 4 months ago
there is only person in ICU PMH...11 total in the country out 1613 active cases... (as July 27th) 99.3% are not in the ICU..96% of the active case aren't in hospital...(surely they aren't all vaxxed..?)
whogothere 3 years, 4 months ago
Do the little yellow cards stop from dying? No - The cards show if you have had the shot in an effort to allow normality for those have had the vaccine in order to bring an end to the pandemic (and to encourage those that have nothing to fear from virus because they are young and otherwise healthy to get the shot). That is irrelevant now. Vaccinated spread virus too. Oops..
crawdaddy 3 years, 4 months ago
Cherry picking is disingenuous. It is reported to be rare to have a breakthrough infection. The ones sick and dying in hospital are unvaccinated. The vaccines work.
whogothere 3 years, 4 months ago
"It cites a combination of recently obtained, still-unpublished data from outbreak investigations and outside studies showing that vaccinated individuals infected with delta may be able to transmit the virus as easily as those who are unvaccinated."
www.washingtonpost.com/health/2021/07/2…
So...not really up to us..Virus is going to virus..
And in other news looks like Fauci et al are caught with their pants down again fudging the numbers on vaccinated deaths - In May vaccinated deaths where 15% covid deaths (not 1%) (oops) and hospitalisation where around 9% (not 1%)(oops) - WP published an Internal CDC document discussing how the CDC where going to improving "messaging" around breakthrough infections which they have now subsequently admit that Vd/unVd carry similar viral loads. (Triple oops - oops cubed).. We should note in May delta spread was minimal - so attributing immune escape due to the variant might be challenging...
https://context-cdn.washingtonpost.com/…
ohdrap4 3 years, 4 months ago
Now they will say the Washington Post and the CDC are issuing fake news.
You all remember watching Roots for years on ZNS? it took years for them to admit it was FICTION. LOL LOL.
Bobsyeruncle 3 years, 4 months ago
Thanks for posting that last informative link. That has some really interesting info on vaccine effectiveness (I'm being sincere). Shame you didn't also summarize the positives of what is reported such as the comparison of Disease, Hospitalization & Death Incidences between vaccinated & unvaccinated people.
And if you look on Page 7, it states that vaccinated cases have 40% lower mean viral load than unvaccinated cases. In my book 40% lower is not 'similar' as you wrote above.
Other than that, that is some of the most informative data I've seen recently. Thanks.
whogothere 3 years, 4 months ago
Bobby always a pleasure..but again you're looking at the wrong figs again.. That good news was from Dec-April when it was glorious in the world of vaccines...good times were rolling...
You've got to scroll down to page 17
where the current news is..
"Delta variant vaccine breakthrough cases may be as transmissible as unvaccinated cases"
"Barnstable County, MA, outbreak: No difference in mean Ct values in vaccinated and unvaccinated cases [median among vaccinated (n=80): 21.9; unvaccinated (n=65): 21.5]"
AND IN SUM ON PAGE 19:
"Summary ▪ Delta is different from previous strains – Highly contagious – Likely more severe – Breakthrough infections may be as transmissible as unvaccinated cases ▪ Vaccines prevent >90% of severe disease, but may be less effective at preventing infection or transmission – Therefore, more breakthrough and more community spread despite vaccination ▪ NPIs are essential to prevent continued spread with current vaccine coverage"
Of course this is just the part of the picture they're looking at bottom line is efficacy is dropping.. and the further it drops the harder it will be to support the argument that Vaccines will get us to Herd Immunity...as per below
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/a…
Bobsyeruncle 3 years, 4 months ago
Hey, Cherry Picker, the pleasure is all mine.
What about the summary on Page 23 then.
• Risk of severe disease or death reduced 10-fold or greater in vaccinated • Risk of infection reduced 3-fold in vaccinated
The footnote on page 3 says the comparison data for deaths, hospitalization & infection between the vaccinated and unvaccinated people was as of July 24, 2021. That's pretty current isn't it?
whogothere 3 years, 4 months ago
Haha Bobby thats not a summary, it's a CDC 'to do' list - the CDC communication or messaging plan to somehow amplify some positive in spite of the fact that vaccines aren't working as well as they hoped..They have to renege on mask wearing for the vaxxed and possibly issue in vaccine mandates for HCPs...
If you are going to pick a cherries a least make sure they're on the tree..LOL Come buddy you can do better...
"Next steps for CDC
▪ Communications
– Acknowledge the war has changed
– Improve public’s understanding of breakthrough infections
– Improve communications around individual risk among vaccinated
• Risk of severe disease or death reduced 10-fold or greater in vaccinated • Risk of infection reduced 3-fold in vaccinated
Prevention
– Consider vaccine mandates for HCP to protect vulnerable populations – Universal masking for source control and prevention – Reconsider other community mitigation strategies"
Bobsyeruncle 3 years, 4 months ago
Sorry, I'm done now. Time for me to move on to something more pertinent to The Bahamas, like this freakin beetle ridden ship that docked in FPO.
I suggest you should also take a break and move on to something else besides antivax stuff. You've been posting for a year now, and every post has been to do with Covid & vaccine conspiracy theories. Surely you have other Bahamian interests in you ?
whogothere 3 years, 4 months ago
I don't know of any conspiracies I've posted? Nah not into Bills Gates, microchips, "the great reset". I've presented data and facts - and enjoy a good discussion and am actually (in all seriousness) have an open mind. The data doesn't support the claim COVID can be defeated by vaccination - most advocates ignore seasonality and population dynamics - just like the data doesn't support mask mandates, lockdowns or school closures or pretty much the government has done since this thing started a year and half ago. Give me alternative facts I'm open to alternative opinions.
I've actually had covid and I'm actually vaccinated (so actually do care if they work) and I know three people that have unpleasant side effects, I live in The Bahamas and have seen first hand the hardship that lockdowns imposed and not mention the hardship of income loss and erosion personal freedoms etc.
It's not like Neo-medical-colonialism is that big a deal.. but bobby you do you - good luck with those beetles ; )
Sign in to comment
OpenID