The Tribune

There is so much information in the media about coronavirus and vaccines that further comment in this column might seem superfluous. But this week I should like to draw attention to the continuing effective rollout of vaccinations here at home as well as to the latest developments in Britain in case experience there might provide some useful lessons.

The success so far of the Ministry of Health’s vaccination programme and the effective assistance and support of Rotary volunteers is there for all to see. Having had our first inoculations in late March, my wife and I received our second doses last week. The whole process at Loyola Hall – registering on arrival, the jab itself, the short rest period and collection of a certificate at the end – went like clockwork and it took less than an hour.

All concerned surely deserve much praise for this slick operation while dealing with large numbers of people. On a personal note, I want to single out Nurse Allison Levarity who gave us the actual jab. She could not have been more efficient and pleasant and her professionalism shone through during our brief encounter - to such an extent that we actually enjoyed an experience that can make some people a little anxious! So, in emphasising how much we both appreciated her care and kindness, we should like say a big “thank you” to her.

As for the UK, Public Health England (PHE), an executive agency of the Department of Health and Social Care, has now reported that the British-made AstraZeneca vaccine - which is, of course, also being used in The Bahamas - is up to 90 percent effective at stopping symptoms of coronavirus, and two doses of it are as effective as a double-shot of the Pfizer vaccine.

The most recent data shows that last week Britain passed the landmark figure of 60 million vaccinations. Of these, 38 million have received the first jab and the other 22 million both the first and second doses which means one third of the population is now fully vaccinated. It is claimed that this in turn means significant protection against any new mutations, including the so-called ‘double mutant’ Indian variant which has been causing concern, though medical experts have recently dismissed fears that vaccines might be ineffective against it.

Hospitalisations and deaths attributable to the virus, together with the numbers of daily new cases, are now at very low levels. So the AstraZeneca vaccine is being described in the UK as a ‘key weapon’ in the global fight against the pandemic, and Health Minister Matt Hancock has been quoted as saying the “new data shows the vaccine saves lives and protects you from ending up in hospital with COVID-19”, but the second dose is vital in order to have the strongest possible protection.

Given Britain’s vaccination rollout is going according to plan, the next step is the government’s hope of being in a position for a full reopening in England - with Scotland and Wales having their own rules - by removing all legal limits on social contact from June 21. Prime Minister Boris Johnson said at the weekend he saw no current reason for not adhering to this which would mean scrapping the country’s last lockdown curbs.

Despite the optimism about returning to a previous way of life, a debate seems to have started about the background to decisions concerning virus restrictions, with some critics complaining that public health professionals tend to be interested only in public health itself and are blind to most things that make good health work and which are important to the lives of everybody else. Thus, it is argued, they seem indifferent to issues like mass unemployment, economic recession and the effects of lockdowns on education and on social needs.

The debate shows, in the view of many, there is a constant danger of too much weight being given to the views of recognised experts who too often seek to force through what they regard as good for the rest of us without taking proper account of the wider picture. This is where the politicians have to assert themselves and move the issue forward in the broadest possible interest of the whole country – and it is why the debate includes concerns that governments should exercise extreme care before seeking to deprive people of their liberty that, with the benefit of hindsight, may not be justified.

It appears that, as life gradually returns to some sort of normality in the UK, most people now seem to accept they are going to have to learn to live with the existence of COVID-19 and that they should be allowed to make decisions themselves about how to conduct their own lives in relation to it, as they do in the case of any other health issue. But, while it is impossible to protect human beings against all risks, the immediate need is for as many as possible to be vaccinated. For, at a practical level, it may come to the point that, without this, people may be prevented from mixing with others in public places. What is more, it is likely that in the near future those who refuse the vaccine will not be able to travel internationally because the countries they are going to will not allow them in.

So, one can only hope the successful rollout in The Bahamas will continue as rapidly as possible to ensure the majority of the population will be fully protected – and all will surely hope that Nurse Levarity and her colleagues will persevere with their excellent work!

AT LAST SOME RELIEF FROM THE WOKE BRIGADE

Having written last week about “wokeness” and the British government’s intention to legislate about free speech in universities, there is a danger of repetition in returning to the subject. But there have been several recent developments that are seen as being hopeful and helpful in countering this insidious phenomenon.

Being “woke” leads all too often to active protests by Left-wing activists against claimed racial and social discrimination. One manifestation of this is the tearing down of statues as a protest against the perceived iniquities of colonialism together with the horrors of slavery which are all too real. It is, of course, absurd to think that by removing reminders of the past one can somehow change history, and this will do nothing to address current racism, discrimination and other social injustice. It makes little sense to try to apply a sort of retrospective morality in relation to what happened in the past when values, beliefs and standards were different – in the words of the well-known aphorism, yesterday’s orthodoxy is today’s heresy. Only a fanatic can believe that the way to build a better society lies in destroying statues.

Since history cannot be changed, surely the right way forward should be to recognise and jettison the bad parts of the past while building on the good and learning how to improve things in the future. But the army of woke zealots seek to crush any challenge to their ideology with hectoring intolerance and a refusal to debate an issue so that this has become a form of oppression by a minority over the majority.

The first promising development was last week’s announcement of a decision by Oriel College, Oxford - citing “regulatory and financial challenges” - to rule out removal of the small statue of Cecil Rhodes from high up on the wall (and only properly visible from the other side of the street) above the entrance to the college. This followed an investigation after an earlier decision to remove it in response to a vociferous mob of political activists who linked Rhodes to slavery and the worst aspects of colonialism as a 19th century diamond magnate, former Prime Minister of the Cape Colony of South Africa and founder of Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe).

But all this took no account of the fact that slavery had been abolished before he had even been born and that apartheid was not imposed by a nationalist government in South Africa until after his death.

Rhodes attended Oriel College and was a major benefactor. Despite the claims against him, he was known to favour equal voting rights for all, both white and black alike. Moreover, when he established the Rhodes Scholarships in his will, he stipulated that no student should be qualified or disqualified on account of race.

The second is the recent move by a group of members of the National Trust to oust the organisation’s chairman in protest at the “woke” direction it has taken under his leadership. The Trust’s remit is to promote the permanent preservation of lands and buildings of beauty and historic interest. But many of its five million members are incensed that, instead of concentrating on this admirable work, the Trust is now trying to link the properties it manages to slavery and colonialism.

To the dismay of many, about one third of these properties have been identified as such and blacklisted, including Winston Churchill’s family home in Kent on the grounds that he opposed Indian independence. This policy will now be challenged at the National Trust’s forthcoming AGM.

The third development is the creation of a brand new “anti-woke” television channel in the UK called GB News. Launched by well-respected veteran journalist Andrew Neil, it promises to deliver unbiased news and opinion. It claims there will be an emphasis on free speech and honest debate, with people being allowed - within the limits of the law - to say what they think without fear of offending others and being censored as a result. It remains to be seen how this will work out, but many will welcome GB News as an antidote to the “woke” agenda – for, as George Orwell famously said, “If liberty means anything at all, it means the right to tell people what they do not wish to hear”.

All in a good cause

How refreshing it was to learn of an imaginative and effective initiative by Britain’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office in drawing attention to the importance of mental health and the help needed by charities across the world in dealing with this sensitive issue. The initiative was called the GlobalMile challenge which involved more than 2000 UK government staff in different parts of the world running a unique 24-hour global relay on 15 May.

The event, which supported mental health charities across the world, was a repeat of the DiploMile challenge first completed last year at the start of the coronavirus pandemic. This was a global relay which proved to be a good way of uniting staff and families separated by travel restrictions and of improving mental and physical wellbeing. It also allowed staff to connect virtually with their colleagues while social distancing measures were in place.

Last Saturday, here in Nassau, staff from the British High Commission, including family and friends, participated in GlobalMile by running or walking a mile as their contribution to raising awareness of mental health issues.

The virtual baton was received from the team in Bridgetown, Barbados and handed on to colleagues in Mexico City to complete their leg of the challenge. In a statement, High Commissioner Sarah Dickson said that she was grateful to her team for taking part and she spoke of the impact of the pandemic on mental health while also emphasising the importance of exercise in relieving stress.

What a splendid initiative this was and what fun it must have been to participate!