The Tribune

By TANYA SMITH-CARTWRIGHT

tsmith-cartwright@tribunemedia.net

AFTER a weekend filled with political rallies, motorcades and other campaign events, the Medical Association of The Bahamas is expressing “grave concern” that those activities might turn out to be “super spreaders”.

With only days left until the country’s general election, major political parties were at the height of campaigning this past weekend, trying to secure votes and become the next government of The Bahamas.

In a statement sent to the press on Sunday, the Medical Association frowned upon the campaigning and drew examples of other countries that held elections during the COVID-19 pandemic.

 The MAB statement said, “The Medical Association of The Bahamas is gravely concerned about the mass gatherings that were held this weekend by campaigning political parties. The country is experiencing rapid escalation in the number of individuals becoming COVID-19 positive, needing hospitalisation and of persons dying due to this devastating illness.

 “These gatherings in the past have been observed as super spreader events. We look at data collected from countries in our region that have held elections during the pandemic and demonstrated a jump in cases post-election due to exposure during election campaigns.”

 The Free National Movement held two rallies – one in Grand Bahama on Friday night and the other in Andros on Saturday. Although the party has billed its rallies as “drive-thru”, photos have shown many supporters getting out of their cars to cheer the speakers on.

 The Progressive Liberal Party had previously cancelled its drive-thru rallies due to the rise in COVID-19 cases. However, the party had a mass motorcade in the capital on Saturday that went from one end of the island to the next with unmasked people on trucks and countless people in cars.

 The PLP has, however, held virtual events with a virtual rally on the weekend. The party boasted that it was the first time a political party ever held such events.

 The MAB statement continued, “Our healthcare facilities are swamped and we are losing medical persons exposed to this deadly virus, including physicians. If this trend continues, we will need to expand capacity for the probable increase in cases that will result from our inability to consistently enforce COVID-19 protocols during the campaign season.

 “We call on the relevant authorities to enforce all campaigning protocols. Observing protocols saves lives and protects the Bahamian population at large. This is absolutely no time to let our guard down or ignore the intensity of the pandemic by participating in such careless behaviour that puts our lives at an even greater risk.”

 Besides the two major political parties, third parties also held events at their constituency headquarters.