– Dr. Van-West Charles urges

WITH Guyana recording over 30 cases of the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) and five deaths so far, Managing Director of the Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI), Dr. Richard Van West-Charles, has called for testing guidelines to be reviewed in order to avert what he called, a “time bomb.”

Dr. Charles is a former Academic Dean of St. Helen University Medical School and Health Sciences, St. Lucia; Special Adviser Partnerships with the International Financial Institutions at the World Health Organisation (WHO); Area Manager for Information and Knowledge Management, PAHO/WHO as well as PAHO/WHO Representative for Jamaica; Cayman Islands and Bermuda, among other places.

He is also a Doctor of Medicine with a Master of Public Health from the University of Michigan and a Certificate in Health Economics from University of Aberdeen, Scotland. He holds a Bachelor of Science Degree from McMaster University, Ontario Canada, with other qualifications in Leadership and Social Development.

“There are many parameters to be considered and testing cannot depend on an all or none principle based on the clinical fit. Medicine is a sociopsychbiological science. However, the delay in testing in our society is taking us close to the time bomb,” said Dr. Charles, in a recent post on his Facebook page.

The Ministry of Public Health has been using “strict” Pan American Health Organisation/World Health Organisation (PAHO/WHO) guidelines to test persons for COVID-19. Dr. Charles, while acknowledging the current guidelines, pointed to the fact that the PAHO/WHO has projected that Guyana could have 20,000 cases of COVID-19 in a month.
The Ministry of Public Health, using the PAHO/WHO method, had initially projected 1,400 cases, but a recent study done by PAHO/WHO found that with every case, another 2.5 persons will be affected within five days if there is no partial lockdown and if persons do not exercise effective social distancing.

“That 2.5, if I infect you, you infect 2.5 others and they infect another 2.5. Within a month we will get over 20,000; it a simple model but it makes a lot of sense,” said Resident PAHO/WHO Representative, Dr. William Adu-Krow, in a recent News Room report.
Dr. Adu-Krow had said if this should happen, five per cent or 1000 of those infected, would need intensive care and Guyana simply does not have the capacity for this. Guyana has so far tested over 115 persons.

“Think about it if according to WHO by May we should have 20000 cases and to date we have only tested 75 (this has moved to over 115) the health status of our exposed cases would be deteriorating and by the time we make an intervention it is too late.
“I appeal to physicians and I hope the authorisation is only in the hands of physicians and not some bureaucrat to urgently review the testing guidelines for Covid-19. Delays may contribute to more deaths,” said Dr. Charles.

He believes it is better to test early and discover where the situation is, than just fail to test. His view is that this way will control the transmission of the disease.

To emphasise his point, Dr. Charles quoted Director General of WHO, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, who had said: “where the contacts of infected people are identified, tested and isolated as needed-is the only way to fully break the chains of transmission .Without it, the virus will come roaring back as soon as social distancing guidelines are relaxed.”
Government, on Friday, had extended its emergency measures to combat the dreaded coronavirus with the implementation of a 12-hour curfew on citizens. These emergency measures were made pursuant to the paragraphs (1) and (2) (b) of the Direction by the President, given under the Public Health Ordinance, Cap. 145, and published in the Gazette, Legal Supplement B, March 16, 2020, government said in a notice Friday evening.
The measures took effect from the April 3, 2020 and will last for one month unless earlier terminated, extended or amended by notice of the Minister of Public Health, after an assessment of the prevailing public health conditions.

According to WHO, COVID-19 is an infectious disease caused by a newly-discovered coronavirus.

WHO said most people infected with the COVID-19 virus will experience mild to moderate respiratory illness and recover without requiring special treatment. Older persons and those with underlying medical problems such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, chronic respiratory disease, and cancer are more likely to develop serious illness.

WHO believes that the best way to prevent and slow down transmission is to be well informed about the virus, the disease it causes and how it spreads.

“Protect yourself and others from infection by washing your hands or using an alcohol-based rub frequently and not touching your face. The COVID-19 virus spreads primarily through droplets of saliva or discharge from the nose when an infected person coughs or sneezes, so it’s important that you also practise respiratory etiquette (for example, by coughing into a flexed elbow),” WHO advised.