Not so long ago, residents in Region 4 were being lulled into a false sense of security regarding the spread of COVID-19 amongst them. It seemed as if the rates of positive infections were only rising in Indigenous communities and that the largest city of habitation had somehow managed to suppress the spread of the virus. With increased testing measures, we have come to see that this sense of security was misplaced. The rates of infections in various regions, particularly Region 4, are on an upward trajectory. None of this is surprising given all that we have come to know of the virus. Its silent spread is rapid and wide reaching.
We must keep in mind that even with the rising numbers, we still are only in the first phase of the pandemic. It will hit us in waves and it is doubtful that many will be spared from its impacts, particularly given the chaotic path we seem intent on staying on. There are lessons on effective and ineffective measures at curbing the spread all around us, worldwide in fact. Yet we remain tethered to our ineffective ideas on how to move forward appropriately. The increase in testing is of course a good place to start but it is worrying that there seems to be no plans aside from just confirming the prevalence of the virus.
So far all we have seen is an increase in punitive measures for those found flouting curfew orders but what does this really do to curb the spread and who does it help? The increased power of the police is good for no one but those who have money and power. Instead of focusing on criminalizing members of our population, the State must consider the various reasons that persons are not following certain guidelines. While there are certainly those who do not take the threat of the virus seriously, there are many who do but are still forced to place themselves in the path of exposure in order to go about their daily exercise for survival.
From day one, the response has been haphazard with no reliance on the science of it and the realities of its physical, mental and economic impacts on citizens. Our health system, underfunded and underequipped for decades, has never been ready for a virus of this nature or magnitude. The precariously insufficient and unequal nature of our economic systems continues to be laid bare. It is understandable that we were not prepared in the initial stages and given the novelty of the virus there was room for many errors. We are however, six months in since the first case was confirmed in the country. There has been an opportune amount of time to devise solid plans forward that would prioritize the wellbeing of citizens. Yet, the State continues to play it by ear. I find it perplexing that there were two separate COVID-19 task forces and neither has to date provided any tangible ideas on a way forward that does not leave a large percentage of its small population out as an offering to the pandemic.
Citizens whether consciously or not, take directions from their leaders. If leaders do not seem to take the threat of a virus seriously, neither will they. The messages that the leadership has been sending have been minimal and often confusing. On one hand citizens are being urged to social distance, practice proper hygiene and to protect themselves in various ways. On the other hand, the leadership has from the beginning been encouraging clustered bands of people in small and enclosed spaces. They have long given up on the idea of stay at home measures and have reopened practically all centres of work so as to cushion the blow to the business class. We can talk all we want about the need to reopen the economy but the reality is that this move was not done in the interest of the people, rather it was done in the interest of those who pull the purse strings and to whom the leadership owes quite a lot.
While a considerable sum of money has been earmarked for COVID-19 relief, if the Ali government is to stand by its word on who receives this relief then it is pretty apt to say that the average citizen being affected will continue to be treated as an afterthought. The bulk of the resources will go into the hands of business persons who should quite simply, not be the priority at this time.
The business class however will always remain a priority to those in power. This is why stay at home measures have been pulled off of the table and never revisited. Leaders continue to do everything but what it is obviously clear that they need to do: provide monetary and other relief measures directly to citizens so they can stay safe and at home. Many have lost jobs and continue to lose jobs. Many have never been employed in the formal sector. Many have no idea how to continue to manage the demands of groceries, rent and other aspects of daily existence. This is where government’s priority needs to be. We cannot all be essential workers. For those who do have essential tasks, they must receive hazard pay for the harm they are placing their lives and those of their families in daily. If money can be made available to bail out a black hole industry for the umpteenth time, money can be made available to provide substantial and prolonged relief to citizens in the midst of a novel pandemic.
We are still operating under the flawed idea that anything about this pandemic is normal and are relying on old tried and failed trickle-down strategies that have simply never been effective and will certainly not start being effective now.
