THE novel coronavirus (Covid-19) has officially been deemed a pandemic, as nations the world over are grappling with the consequences of the disease. The World Health Organisation (WHO) has been at the forefront of the campaign to inform the public and nations on best practice in order to curb the spread of the disease. Guyana recorded its first case of COVID-19 on Wednesday, March 11, and since then, there have been confirmed reports of at least three more cases of the virus here.

Following the confirmation of Guyana’s first COVID-19 case, President David Granger set up a ministerial taskforce in order to deal with the pandemic as it unfolds. A number of measures have been taken by the Government of Guyana, in order to circumvent the spread of the disease. The President confirmed that the list of high-risk countries, where passengers will be screened upon arrival in Guyana, has been extended to include a number of Caribbean nations where the virus has recently been detected. President Granger also confirmed that personnel working at seaports and other immigration agencies must be sensitised. The President further advised against public gatherings and non-essential travel. Separately, the Ministry of Health has issued public health warnings, and the Ministry of Education has ordered that schools be closed for two weeks. According to the government, Guyana is prepared to deal with an outbreak of the virus.

Meanwhile, the international community has responded to the growing pandemic by taking a number of precautions. Severe travel restrictions have been implemented, particularly in the United States, where they have declared a State of Emergency in order to implement strategies aimed at circumventing the spread of the disease. President Donald Trump has restricted travel from Europe, the epicentre of the disease, and that travel ban went into effect from last Friday. Meanwhile, many European nations have instituted partial lockdown policies. In Italy, the hardest hit country in the European Union, there is a full-on military lockdown, and the country has been brought to a standstill. Italy has so far recorded over 20,000 cases, and confirmed 2158 deaths from COVID19.

Whilst the world appears to be grinding to a halt as the virus continues to spread, the world’s financial markets have been in turmoil amid high market volatility and some of the biggest downturns since the 2008/9 financial crisis. Commentators have expressed concern that the effects of this pandemic will be felt in the financial markets for some time to come, particularly as the supply chain has been affected, and the potential for widespread industry-specific job losses appears to be a real threat to the global economy.

Nonetheless, as it concerns matters at home, although Guyanese have expressed concern regarding the novel coronavirus COVID 19, there have not been any reports of widespread hysteria. There have, however, been reports of price gouging, especially as it relates to recommended items such as hand sanitizers and face masks. This practice has been condemned by the relevant authorities and indeed civil society. It is disappointing that there are those within our society who would seek to benefit from a crisis; but, conversely, there are a number of small organisations that have been distributing masks to the public, free of charge, a great reminder of the true Guyanese spirit.

As it relates to the closure of schools, parents, teachers and citizens generally appear to be more concerned about the impact this will have upon our young people, some of whom were expected to sit the National Grade Six Assessments in the coming weeks. The Ministry of Education (MOE) has confirmed that the examinations will be rescheduled. The MOE will continue to monitor the situation as it develops, and issue any necessary notices to parents and teachers. Similarly, the Caribbean Examinations Council released a statement on Sunday indicating the closure of its Western Zone Office in Kingston, Jamaica, and noting that it is currently in talks with member states regarding the implications of the COVID19 virus and the examinations scheduled to take place in May/June. Member states will be notified as the situation continues to unfold.

As Guyanese continue to await the outcome of the March 2 regional and general elections, we must be reminded of the need for a unified, concerted effort to fight the spread of the highly contagious and deadly virus. COVID19 attacks indiscriminately, irrespective of political or racial affiliation. Therefore, the time for partisan politics and division among us and our officials has passed. The policies and procedures they implement will directly affect our collective health and wellbeing and although Guyana has a fairly young and healthy population, we must nonetheless follow the necessary guidelines as issued by the respective health authorities.