– PM implores 10,000-odd Guyanese in NY wanting to come home
– but can’t immediately, as COVID-19 death toll reaches 34 

By Navendra Seoraj

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

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

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

According to reports out of ‘The Big Apple’, 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.

Those tributes are reportedly 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 families and friends of those being featured on it.

“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 is quoted as saying in a message on the Page.

“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,” Ambassador Atherly said.

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; Guyana-born Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) bus operator, Oliver Cyrus; and William “Billy” Braithwaite of the Guyana Cultural Association of New York.

WANT TO COME HOME

Considering the increasing loss of lives across the globe because of the COVID-19 disease, some 12,000 Guyanese residing in New York have requested to return home to Guyana. Similar requests have been made by some 80 other Guyanese living in Miami, and close to 200 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…,” the PM said, adding: “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.”

Noting that one needs to take into account that Guyana’s first COVID-19 case was an imported one, as have other cases proven to be, Minister Nagamootoo said that while the government empathises with those Guyanese who want to come home, he would suggest that they “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 (those wanting to return) would have to subject themselves to quarantine, so we will need facilities for the thousands of Guyanese who wish to come home,” the PM said, adding:

“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.”

GOV’T WORKING ON IT

He, however, gave the reassurance that the government is not dragging its 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’s 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.