Dear Editor,
Covid-19 is bringing more pandemics. There are the pandemics of misinformation, frustration and the pandemic of the unvaccinated. These are manifest in worldwide protests, violence and suicides. These social ills are increasing due to people having to change their lifestyles from their pre- Covid -19 routines of waking early in the day and preparing themselves or their children for work or school. Activities which previously occurred at a specific time can no longer be scheduled. Examples of these are, gathering after work with colleagues or friends, going to the club or other socializing activities. These are not even possible in some countries which have implemented stringent curfews and socializing barriers. It is like a rebirth, with many adults adopting child- like behaviors, even like orphans without parents or guardians to remedy their infantile behaviour. People resent these changes and are using violent methods to release their frustration.
There are increasing assaults by passengers on airplanes which have required training of passenger crews in self-defense. There are protests worldwide against vaccine and mask mandates, against protocols associated with Covid-19, assaults on teachers, students and parents and in Guy-ana, the United States of America (USA) and around the world, police brutalities and murders. Let us hope that citizens here are not emulating the USA when their behaviour becomes sordid. It is known that many Guyanese feel that what exists in the USA is good and worthy of mimicking.
There is a theory that when people are confined for a long time, they become reckless when they are released. This is not a plea for the lifting of rules and restrictions required for combatting Covid -19, to be removed. On the contrary, the rules in Guyana need to be tougher as evidenced by the excessive numbers of infections and deaths within our small population. Two years of Covid-19 is a long time and we are all Covid weary. However, as it is taking us so long to achieve herd immunity, it should make us realize that we have started poorly and continuing poorly in fighting this pandemic. We are not the only negligent ones. Rich countries have failed in their sense of urgency in getting enough vaccines to poor countries and in other areas where they could easily have done better. We, or the majority of us around the world, have to get vaccinated to eradicate this virus. Due to herd immunity seeming a long way off, the realization that there is the threat of more variants arising, countries are taking tougher and more comprehensive steps to overcome the pandemic. The consensus seems to be that we cannot wait another two years to take additional steps and not use all the available resources in this effort.
Unfortunately, the inhumane, harmful, selfish and greedy actions of citizenry and politicians at home and abroad are contributing to increasing division and destruction instead of unifying us against our common enemy, Covid-19. Through the ages, laws along with vaccines, have been effective in improving and maintaining health and order. We could not have enjoyed increasingly stress-free lives without them, so we should do the right thing and encourage their creation and implementation. Laws must be used when others jeopardize the health and wellbeing of others. People are charged when they intentionally transmit HIV to others. The felony of murder when it is so ruled is treated with harsh punishment. The unvaccinated are indirectly committing murder and suicide unless they remain in their homes until, and hopefully, the pandemic passes. It has not been proven that Covid -19 vaccines have killed anyone. However, one would be “living under a rock” if one doesn’t know that the pandemic is taking numerous lives daily around the world. All that governments worldwide are asking is that people be vaccinated.
Sincerely,
Conrad Barrow
