Dear Editor

“When we try to pick out anything by itself, we find it hitched to everything else in the universe”- John Muir. The Coronavirus (Covid- 19) demonstrates, in a real and troubling way, the truth of this quote. This pandemic is connected to everything else we know and do not know, in this vast and unfathomable universal space. The Coronavirus is treacherously deadly. Although in Guyana people appear not to be taking the pandemic seriously, judging from their attitude towards social distancing. I would be surprised if, as a short- term measure, the competent authority, the Ministry of Public Health, is not forced into the invidious position to lockdown our country for a specified period of time. This would have to be complemented with support from the State for the poor and vulnerable, in our local communities.

That, notwithstanding, Covid- 19, is an indictment against our management or mismanagement of the natural environment and consequences of our unfriendly environmental actions, such as climate change with its attendant unprecedented environmental and public health challenges. It is clear that, for our planet to be healthy, safe and secured we have to show much more care and respect for the environment and its ecological systems. Sadly, we seem to take for granted that we live and exist in our present physical state because the environment keeps us connected to its systems by the oxygen we breathe in, about 12- 20 times per minute and the carbon dioxide we breathe out, a similar amount of times, permitting other organisms to live.

But how did it come to this? It is true that, for centuries, mankind, in the name of economic development, has been pushing deeper into new areas to open up lands for mining of precious metals and valuable stones, construction of modern facilities such as airports, seaports, railways, other transportation networks, and infrastructure systems, manufacturing facilities, hotels, and housing schemes. We are building new, modern and smart cities, and even exploring possibilities of developing human communities under the oceans and above the heavens, in outer space.

But as we continue along this path of so- called development, with heavy- duty equipment and allied technologies with toxic emissions and noises, ripping down rainforests and causing massive soil erosion and water and air pollution, we are disrupting the natural patterns and arrangements of nature. We, for example, are affecting the flight pattern of birds which in turn affect other organisms and systems that depend on particular rhythms of flight, feeding and mating of those birds. This disruption then affects everything else in the natural ecology and the public health and wellbeing of nations. And because we are so interconnected in this global village, particularly through advanced technologies in transportation and communication, an event occurring in one part of the earth could affect every other part of our planet as is evident with with Covid- 19.

Again, as we push ahead, full tilt, to modernize and create new areas of development we are not only destroying habitats and losing biodiversity but also facilitating an uncomfortable and unhealthy closeness with animals and plants, some of which carry dangerous diseases. It is also encouraging the emergence of new public health and environmental challenges that we, even with all of the world’s economic and military might, are not ready to manage.

Even so, this virus has not been the only one to have ravished communities and entire countries. Zika virus, bird flu, Ebola and severe acute respiratory syndrome (Sars) are a few others that have affected and continue to affect the health and sustained prosperity of many nations.

Add to that the global wildlife trade (illegal in many parts) that bring those involved and others into very close contact with animals. And add to that wildlife markets, in Africa, Asian and other countries, with animals being slaughtered for sale for human consumption. And add to that the consumption of exotic animals, by some, as part of their culture. It is a very frightening suitable situation for transmission of infectious microorganisms to new hosts. Pathogens jump from these animals, hurdled and crammed in cages, in markets, to humans. Statistics from United Nations on such diseases show that more than 50% of human infectious diseases come from wildlife. It was reported in the international media that Covid- 19 jumped from bats to humans and that the source was a wildlife market in China. Whatever the truth, if we fail to reflect on our actions towards the environment and take appropriate steps to secure the health of the earth’s ecology then our global village would definitely witness many more infectious diseases transmitted from animals to humankind.

I believe that one way we can do that is by ensuring that we understand and communicate, in a people-friendly way, the linkages and tensions between the natural environment and public health. Our Public health policies must not be separate from but linked to environmental policies because there is a reciprocal relationship between the two.

Also, countries, particularly, developing ones such as Guyana, need strong enforceable regulations and the institutions and agencies to enforce them. Environmental and public health regulations and policies require a corps of well qualified and trained public health and environmental professionals and technicians, appropriate technologies and continuous research work and scholarship in environmental and public health studies and best practices. This would help those, who work in environmental and public health to remain on the cutting edge of their profession and even encourage them to explore solutions that are more practicable to our local environmental context.

Regards
Royston King