– over 10,000 persons want to ‘come home’ but cannot return immediately
– PM says influx of persons could overwhelm local health system

By Navendra Seoraj
THE dreaded Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) disease has so far claimed the lives of 34 Guyanese in New York.

This information was recorded by the Guyana Consulate in New York and submitted to government, said Prime Minister, Moses Nagamootoo during a virtual press briefing, on Saturday.

The prime minister said it is a partial list and does not reflect a global figure because Guyanese live and work all across the world. Government will, however, continue to rely on its foreign missions to provide information on the status of Guyanese abroad.

It was reported that the Guyana Consulate-General in New York has created a means for Guyanese to publicly pay tribute to loved ones lost to the deadly COVID-19 pandemic.
The tributes are being shared on a Facebook page named ‘Honoring Guyanese Lost to Coronavirus’, and has already received an outpouring of tributes, support and condolences to the family and friends of those highlighted.

“The Consulate-General of the Co-operative Republic of Guyana in New York joins in expressing sincere condolences to Guyanese in the diaspora who have lost loved ones to the coronavirus. Our thoughts and prayers are with you and your family during this time of sorrow,” Consul-General Barbara Atherly said in a message.

“This page has been created for families, if you so desire, to add the name of your dearly departed, in order for us to pay tribute,” she added.

Among some of the persons who lost their lives to the dreaded disease were Businessman, Jim Bacchus of Jim Bacchus Travel Service; Vishnu Baichu, called Paramdeo Baichu, and his eldest son, Vijay Baichu; Guyana-born Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) bus operator, Oliver Cyrus; and William “Billy” Braithwaite of the Guyana Cultural Association of New York.

Considering the increasing loss of lives across the globe because of the COVID-19 disease, some 12,000 Guyanese in New York have requested to return home to Guyana. Similar requests have been made by some 80 Guyanese in Miami and close to 200 Guyanese who work on international cruise ships.

“We have received requests from Guyanese who want to come back, but we are on lockdown and no flights would come in until the existing orders expire or if it is amended…we first have to look at how incidences are mounting, already we have 40 cases (now 45) and six deaths…so we need to look at this and review some of our measures, but I cannot say any consideration regarding the requests, is active,” said Prime Minister Nagamootoo, adding that it must be noted that Guyana’s first case of COVID-19 was an imported cases and other cases have also proven to be imported cases.

While he said government empathizes with those Guyanese who want to come home, the prime minister asked persons to “sit it out” a while longer.

Government, he said, first needs to give itself space to deal with cases here; do proper contact tracing; reduce imported cases; and complete arrangements to have facilities to quarantine persons who come back.

“They (Guyanese who return) would have to subject themselves for quarantine, so we will need facilities for the thousands of Guyanese who wish to come home.

“We would want them to come back home, but they need to understand the challenges we face at home…if they come home right now it will overwhelm medical and physical capacity to accommodate them and give them the treatment they deserve,” said the prime minister.
He, however, gave the assurance that government is not dragging their feet, when it comes to identifying and establishing quarantine, isolation and treatment facilities.

The former Ocean View International Hotel has so far been identified as a dedicated facility for incubation, isolation, quarantine and medical attention for persons diagnosed with, or suspected to have, the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19).

The idea to establish such a facility was put to the government by the Pan American Health Organisation/World Health Organisation (PAHO/WHO) after a new study found that Guyana could have as many as 20,000 COVID-19 cases 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 PAHO/WHO Resident Representative Dr. William Adu-Krow in a recent News Room report.

And should this happen, Dr. Adu-Krow said, five per cent or 1000 of those infected would need intensive care, and Guyana simply does not have the capacity for this.

On the point of building capacity and improving the local response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Dr. Adu-Krow, in an interview with the Guyana Chronicle on Friday, said: “By way of government, a lot is being done, but a lot more needs to be done… PAHO has recommended a dedicated hospital for COVID-19, so people do not have to always call and say they did not get through.”

Prime Minister Nagamootoo has since confirmed that PAHO’s proposal was examined by the task force, and the Ocean View Hotel was identified as the building in which the hospital will be housed. The Ocean View facility will have 300 beds for critical patients.

In addition to ‘Ocean View’, the government is also considering the possibility of converting the former Guyana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC) building on High Street into a similar COVID-19 facility.

“We have identified that building, and an examination is being done to see if all or some sections can be used. We are also looking at other buildings; there are sports halls that can be converted,” the PM said, adding that the government is looking to be equipped with 1,000 beds for confirmed cases.