AT this time of great concern and inconvenience to the world’s population, owing to the emergence and spread of the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19), it is imperative that Guyanese have accurate information about the situation and its implications; more particularly, what the President David Granger administration is doing to return conditions to normal.

COVID-19 is a newly-discovered virus capable of causing disease in humans. The outbreak was first identified in Wuhan, China in December 2019. Following this, several cases were identified internationally. Consequently, the World Health Organisation (WHO) declared the outbreak to be a Public Health Emergency of International Concern on January 30, 2020, and recognised it as a pandemic on March 11, 2020. A pandemic is a widespread infectious disease process that affects an increasing number of persons across a large number of territories of countries. COVID-19 meets those criteria.

The disease may be mild, or severe. In its most severe form, it may cause respiratory distress, pneumonia, and death. To date, COVID-19, which scientists say has a natural origin, has resulted in more than 168,000 deaths worldwide, after infecting a reported 2.45 million persons. Scientists say that the number of infected persons may be higher than the number of reported cases, because many infected persons may not report symptoms, or persons may die without being diagnosed. It is also believed that there may be people who are infected but do not show any symptoms, but may still be able to spread the disease.
The symptoms caused by COVID-19 are predominantly respiratory in nature; they include coughing, shortness of breath, difficulty breathing, severe respiratory distress, respiratory infections such as pneumonia, and, in the most severe cases, the total inability to breathe on one’s own. Symptoms may also include muscle and joint pain, fever, chills, and diarrhoea.

The good news, however, is that many persons have recovered from the infection, particularly those who were fit, and in good health before they became infected. It is, therefore, important to maintain a healthy lifestyle, such as having a good diet, and regularly exercising and not smoking, in order to strengthen the body to increase the chance of survival and recovery in case one becomes infected.

In Guyana, so far, there have been 67 confirmed cases of COVID-19 infection resulting in seven deaths. Government obviously takes the disease most seriously, since many containment and mitigation measures have been put in place by President David Granger’s administration.

Quarantine policies and facilities have been set up to contain the spread of the virus. Airports have been closed to stop infected persons from entering the country, and a12-hour curfew has been instituted to prevent nighttime social interaction, since the virus spreads among persons in close proximity to each other. In tandem with those and other measures, an aggressive education campaign has been initiated.

President Granger’s administration, through the Ministry of Public Health, is promoting a national attitude of social distancing. As is recommended by health experts, persons should maintain maximum distance among themselves whenever they must physically interact. Surgical masks are recommended. It is also recommended that Guyanese stay indoors as a form of self-imposed quarantine. Citizens are also advised to wash their hands frequently and thoroughly with soap and water, since, according to the experts, soap kills the virus. They also advise using an alcohol-based hand sanitiser. Of course, good personal hygiene is necessary.

While the government does everything at that level to protect Guyanese, one would recognise that those measures and recommendations would only work if citizens make themselves familiar with the measures, and actively work with the Granger administration to implement them. After all, it is our lives at stake, and it is, therefore, in our best interest to take care of our own wellbeing.