By Telesha Ramnarine

WHILE many persons are worried about the new coronavirus (COVID-19) that has sadly reached Guyana, many others are optimistic and are of the view that taking precautions and following the guidance of reliable sources can do the trick.
One elderly woman said her daughter helps her do research, while parents expressed that they have been teaching their children about the virus, and even demonstrating to them basic health practices. Others encouraged a healthy diet with a focus on building the immune system, such as by stocking up on Vitamin C.
The virus has been declared a pandemic, and at the moment, we do not know in Guyana how many cases might be out there. Research has shown that older persons, who have serious medical conditions such as diabetes, heart and lung disease, are at higher risk.
The Guyana Chronicle spoke with some persons on what they have been doing to protect themselves and families from the dreaded virus. Here are some of their thoughts:

Wayne Hunte
Behavioural Health Adviser

There is no need to panic. The populace needs to follow the public health advisories that are coming from the health authorities to reduce their risk of infection. Many people are blindly forwarding bits and pieces of information on social media without really knowing who or where it supposedly came from. People may also forget that we have several tropical fruits that can naturally boost our immune systems to help fight infections. For example, we can load up on Vitamin C by using our guavas, cherries, five fingers, lemons, and pineapples. I personally believe that by tanking up on our tropical fruits, this can give us the antioxidants where we can have a fighting chance against this virus.

Mohini Graham
Caring for three young kids

As a working mom, I take extra care to protect my kids from the virus. I bought Lysol Spray and Clorox wipes to wipe down all devices and surfaces, have refill hand sanitizers and give each of my kids their personal sanitizer to take to school. I also spoke to my children about what is the coronavirus and how to protect themselves at school and home by washing their hands and so forth. I also do similar at my place of work by wiping down telephones, keyboards, etc.

Mikhaila Puran-Xavier
Medical Doctor

Even though the statistics show that the majority of cases are mild, everyone should still take precautions so that our older, sick population won’t have to pay for our poor hygiene. Avoid close contact with those who are sick, wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing, or having been in a public place. If soap and water are not available, use a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol. To the extent possible, avoid touching high-touch surfaces in public places – door handles, handrails, handshaking with people, etc. Use a tissue or your sleeve to cover your hand or finger if you must touch something. Avoid touching your face, nose, eyes, etc. Clean and disinfect your home to remove germs: practice routine cleaning of frequently touched surfaces (for example tables, doorknobs, light switches, handles, desks, toilets, faucets, sinks and cellphones). Avoid crowds, especially in poorly ventilated spaces. Stay at home if you’re sick, except to get medical care. Stock up on supplies. It is not advised for the general public to wear facemasks. The lightweight surgical facemasks will not protect you and the N95 masks should be reserved for health care workers who really need it as there is a shortage in supply. It is only advised that sick persons wear lightweight masks to prevent transmission. Please don’t believe everything that you read on social media. People are irresponsibly sharing information without fact-checking. There is no cure for COVID-19. Treatment is symptomatic and supportive. Protect yourself and your loved ones by practising good hygiene, eating healthy and taking your daily vitamins.

AnnMarie Kalladen,
64-year-old housewife

I don’t really know much about the virus, but me and my daughter have been doing research. I came to the bank to get some money to buy things like hand sanitizer, mouth guards, bleach. We have to take precautions. It is not something to play with, it’s serious. And I personally believe that this illness can be transmitted through money. I am terrified knowing my age group is at risk. I didn’t put on any mouth guard because they said that that’s not healthy, but I am taking precautions. This is the reality now; it’s all over the world and we have to be very careful.

Roberta Binda
Registered Nurse

Persons should not panic about this disease. Keep in mind that COVID -19 is 2-4 percent fatality rate when compared with SARS that has a 10 percent and Ebola that has a 98 percent fatality rate. COVID-19 is spread through droplets that come from our noses and mouths when we talk, cough or sneeze. To protect my family, I have reinforced good hygienic practices. I have spoken and demonstrated to my children how to properly wash their hands. I have made hand sanitizer with 70 percent rubbing alcohol and oil and given it to them to use frequently, especially after handling money. I have advised my kids to always cover their mouth when coughing or sneezing, whether it is with their sleeves/tissues and avoid touching their faces, eyes, noses or mouths as much as possible. I have also identified a room in my home that I will use to quarantine any person that has any symptoms of COVID -19. I have the hotline number and enough Tylenol for fever. My husband and I are trying to ensure that we eat healthy and take daily multivitamins and hopefully rest well to keep our immune system healthy. I only forward or post COVID-19 info from relevant and authentic sources such as the World Health Organisation, Ministry of Health & CDC. In doing so, I think it would prevent false information from getting out into the public and causing a panic. I keep checking these sources for updated information daily.

Prudence Julien
Confidential Secretary

I know the coronavirus started in Wuhan, China, from a wet market. My initial thoughts were that it would be contained here and like most other people, I thought Guyana was invincible.
There are many, many so-called tricks and tips going around, but what I believe to be my first and most immediate safeguard is relying on trustworthy sources. Hence, I do not listen to or read spurious, forwarded messages and voice recordings. I take my information from the World Health Organization website and I share these with others. Apart from that, my family has been using hand sanitizer, frequent washing with hand soap (we’ve even put methylated spirit in it) and we spray regularly with Lysol. We also try to limit our exposure to crowded areas.

Joan Brown
Beautician

Because Hair Tech and Body Clinic is part of the beauty industry and must deal with the public, we are increasing our sanitation and sterilisation processes, making sure to constantly spray all surfaces with rubbing alcohol. Our combs and brushes are washed in bleach water, we have hand sanitizers available at our stations, our staff is encouraged and reminded to wash their hands throughout the day after working with each client, our kids are advised not to go sitting on anyone, our pedicurists are encouraged to wear gloves and/or masks for their services and our towels are washed with bleach and then placed in the sun. My family and I are making sure our immune system is not compromised by taking our vitamins regularly, increasing our intake of vitamin C, alkalizing our body by drinking corilla water (3 slices of corilla to 1 litre water) throughout the day, thus making sure that our bodies are hydrated. We’re also using tamarind drink sweetened with honey instead of sugar to help supply our bodies with vitamin C, utilizing our fresh vegetables, and practising healthy eating habits.

Walter Narine
Solid Waste Management Director

My family and I have taken necessary steps to avoid social gatherings, and going to places like malls, movies, etc. I have kept my kids away from school as a precaution and have taken the necessary steps to educate them on basic hygiene. This task was extremely difficult because of their ages (1 and 3). At this age, kids are always touching their faces, so I think every step must be taken by teachers and parents to protect them. People who are more susceptible to getting the virus are those with weak immune systems, such as the hypertensive and diabetic cases and people who already have respiratory problems. What you have to do is to keep boosting your immune system by taking the necessary vitamins, drinking a lot of water and staying as clean as possible, because it has potential to have mass casualties if it is not contained. It is extremely difficult to control. You have to always have your sanitizers with you. I am avoiding handshakes, keeping myself away from people, about three feet away when we’re talking. You may have to do some strange things to protect yourself, but this thing is very dangerous.

Ganesh Singh
Visually Impaired

I’ve taken the necessary precautions as advised by PAHO/WHO, Ministry of Public Health and from online reliable sources, including the CDC in the United States. Persons with disabilities, I would advise them not everyone can afford to buy Lysol and the things needed, but what they can do is to wash their hands regularly with soap, keep their environment clean, and try not to touch their faces. Especially persons who are blind tend to touch their eyes and clean them; it’s a habit for many persons. So those persons who are blind should make a strong effort to stop touching their eyes without clean hands. I have a very clear understanding of how the virus works and I encourage everyone to remain informed.