Dear Editor,
The mad rush and aggression by national, regional and global leaders to vaccinate citizens against COVID-19 is cause for great concern, considering how Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome pandemic was managed globally and nationally. Fortunately, the mode of contagion of the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) is drastically different from that of COVID-19 and thank God this is so, for mankind would have been virtually obliterated. In the early 80’s into the 90s, HIV infection invariably translated to certain death in six months to a year. One of the factors which made HIV most dangerous and a major issue for public health was and still is, it’s incubation period. Unlike COVID-19 with an incubation period of 5-14 days, HIV infection can take years before someone begins to show symptoms of AIDS. Obviously during this period, an oblivious promiscuous individual, can infect many others and they in turn can do the same.
The relatively extremely long incubation period of HIV, the debilitating impact of AIDS, and the fact that this disease was prevalent among young, healthy people dwarf the nature of COVID-19. Just imagine what would have happened to mankind had the mode of contagion of HIV been similar to that of the prevailing virus. Having established the nature of the two pandemics, it’s rather disquieting that there was no mad rush to develop, distribute and administer a vaccine for HIV. Further, it would have been totally understandable if governments were to impose the same Draconian measures for HIV as they are doing for COVID-19. Right here in Guyana, persons working with HIV/AIDS patients are sworn to secrecy/confidentiality. This means that an infected person can knowingly spread the disease and the care provider is prohibited from publicly raising an alarm. Moreover, the government does not and did not dictate that the infected individual carries and presents – on demand – a card/document indicating their HIV status and whether or not they are on treatment. Considering the significantly milder nature of COVID-19, why is it being deemed necessary for persons to present a vaccination card in specified circumstances?
The disproportionate reaction of world leaders to the two pandemics is glaring. During the years when HIV/AIDS was killing hundreds of thousands of young people, the reaction of governments was measured and every effort was made to prevent and discourage discrimination of infected persons. Today on the contrary, facing an extremely milder virus, it appears every effort is being made to foster and promote discrimination and stigmatization. When a vaccine was most needed to fight a viral pandemic where the survival rate approximated zero, the aggression seen today was non-evident. Currently, healthy persons recognize they have a greater than 90% chance of naturally overcoming a COVID-19 infection and are therefore refusing experimental vaccines. Sadly, governments and, more specifically the Guyana government, is promoting and fostering discrimination against such individuals. There is a glaring disproportionate governmental response to this more contagious, but milder virus. It makes me wonder; why?
Sincerely,
Errol London
