Viewed on a graph, Guyana’s COVID-19 figures are on a quickening upward climb. Since recording its first case and death on March 11, the country’s official numbers had leapt to 90 deaths and 3,188 total cases as of October 5, of the 15,078-odd tests carried out. The steep rise in cases and deaths which began in August, when testing was ramped up under the new administration, has continued. It is therefore surprising, given these numbers, that there is still such a lack of personal responsibility towards protection from contracting the coronavirus among some citizens.
What is also tremendously disappointing, in the light of the seriousness of this pandemic, is the repeated attempts to treat it like a political football. Even before it was in government, the PPP/C had been quick to claim that the APNU+AFC administration’s approach was lacklustre. That there was a low number of tests being done and inadequacies in quarantine facilities were well known. However, like this administration, the APNU+AFC had strenuously implemented World Health Organisation recommended measures to contain and control the pandemic. From early on citizens were told about washing their hands, wearing masks, adhering to social distancing guidelines, and sanitising their environment.
While ports of entry and some businesses and schools were closed, a full lockdown was never implemented. Instead, a curfew was imposed; a measure also taken by the current
administration. Last week, it was the APNU+AFC’s turn to claim that it had kept the death toll low and that the current government’s management of the coronavirus was costing lives. There is nothing but the insistence of MP Tabitha Sarabo-Halley to suggest that the APNU+AFC had the correct approach in testing mainly symptomatic people, as evidence the world over has shown that the asymptomatic also spread the virus, particularly when unaware of their status. The universal approach to dealing with people exposed to viruses is to test and treat, not assume that they will act responsibly.
If there was still any doubt about this, certainly recent events in the United States have quelled those. Back on March 8 this year, US President Donald Trump was quoted as saying: “We have a perfectly coordinated and fine-tuned plan at the White House for our attack on coronavirus.” At that point, the US death toll was less than two dozen. Irresponsibly, Mr Trump went without a mask for months as a look back at his speeches, press conferences and tweets will reveal. He was actually never seen in public with his face covered until July 20.
Seven months later, on October 2, both he and First Lady Melania Trump tested positive for COVID-19, along with at least a dozen people they had been in contact with, mostly in the White House, and the US death toll had passed 200,000. Over the months while COVID-19 ravaged the US, there was also a great deal of waffling and shiftiness from the US president about what should and should not be done.
It is the responsibility of every government to provide its citizens with correct information on how to protect themselves from COVID-19 and to implement measures to contain and control the spread of the disease. It is also the responsibility of the government to provide frontline workers, especially those in the health care setting, with adequate personal protective equipment (PPE) and to assist those citizens who face dire straits as a result of the pandemic. Most of this is already being done in Guyana, but no government or minister past or present should expect kudos; this is the responsibility that comes with winning at the ballot box.
That said, citizens also have a responsibility to themselves. By now, everyone, even the conspiracy theorists among us, should have recognised that this pandemic will remain with us until every individual acknowledges and takes responsibility for adhering to the measures that are necessary to flatten the curve. People cannot continue to flout the nightly curfew; the police cannot continue to turn a blind eye to the establishments and individuals who show total disregard for the curfew. Individuals cannot continue to congregate on the seawall, bars and other public places in the city, towns, and communities. Individuals who call out others on social media cannot host birthday celebrations, dinners, gatherings, and parties in their homes and invite their friends whose COVID-19 status they do not know. Every effort must be made to help people to understand that social distancing should be implemented with anyone who does not share their household and whose COVID-19 status they do not know.
No one should be congregating outside their household without wearing a mask.
Businesses which are still open or have reopened must implement protocols for workplace safety that include sanitising, mask-wearing, and distancing where practicable. Masks and hand sanitisers are now as important as water coolers and should be provided by business owners. Children also need to be taught to practice social distancing.
While we must hold our government accountable, it is time to stop the blaming and finger pointing. Flattening the curve requires the collective effort of every citizen. Like past epidemics and pandemics, including HIV, government’s efforts alone will not deliver the results required. Flatten-ing the curve requires every individual to assess his or her risk, identify his and her personal, social, and environmental facilitators and barriers and develop a plan to protect him/herself, family, and co-workers from this disease. It is even more imperative that individuals do so as the long-term impact of COVID-19, even among those who are asymptomatic, is unknown. Taking responsibility is critical.
