Dear Editor
GOVERNMENT has done, and continues to do, everything it can to contain and mitigate the effects of COVID-19. Specialty treatment and quarantine facilities have been established and equipped, protective curfew and travel restrictions are in place, a massive public-education system is operational, as well as other measures, all being coordinated by a dedicated COVID-19 Task Force.

The net effect has been that Guyana, although affected, has been successful in preventing the hundreds of daily deaths that occur in other territories such as neighbouring Brazil and the developed United States. For this, Guyanese should be grateful to the astute leadership of the President David Granger administration. However, we all have a part to play in preventing COVID-19 from spreading, and, unfortunately, it is clear to this publication that many Guyanese are not doing their part; too many citizens are behaving irresponsibly. This cavalier attitude endangers everyone, and it has to stop, one way or another.

It has been observed that many persons have become complacent. At the onset of the pandemic, it could be seen that many persons were complying with the preventative guidelines laid down by medical experts and communicated to the public by the Coalition administration. Unfortunately, it appears that people are losing the momentum to remain vigilant. Mini-bus drivers and conductors, taxi-drivers, vendors and other high-risk (for transmission) groups are operating without face masks. Persons are congregating at business places; ignoring social-distancing directives, and the list goes on. It cannot be over-emphasised that if Guyanese continue along this trend — behaving as though everything is normal — no amount of government intervention will be able to save us from our own foolishness. We had better get our act together because if we don’t hear we will feel.

We need to remind ourselves, daily, hourly, and every minute of the serious deadliness of COVID-19. At the time of the writing of this article, 5.92 million people are confirmed to be infected worldwide, 364,000 are dead, and those numbers will have risen by the time this column is printed. In fact, more persons would have died during the writing of this article. The horrific effects of COVID-19 have been described by experts– the inability to breathe as death approaches should be sufficient to terrify anyone. Guyanese need to take COVID-19 seriously, remain motivated to take precautions, follow the directives of health experts, and take no chances.

While, by this time, most Guyanese would know what to do to prevent themselves from becoming infected, it bears repeating here. More importantly, knowing is one thing, but actually doing what we must do to protect ourselves is another. And, that is what is needed; we have to do what we have to do to stay safe.

The experts agree that COVID-19 is 3 times more contagious than the flu. They agree, too, that it is spread in two major ways: directly from one person to another, when an infected person coughs, sneezes, or even speaks, releasing infectious droplets of liquid from the mouth or nose to be inhaled by another person; and indirectly when an infected person deposits the virus on a surface, and another person comes along and picks it up.

The ways to prevent becoming infected are simple. To avoid becoming infected directly, simply avoid other people, because, experts say, an infected person can spread COVID-19 three days before showing any symptoms. Stay home. If you must interact with others, everyone should be wearing face masks and staying at least 6 feet from any other person.
To prevent indirect infection, one expert has said that people should always be conscious of where your hands are because touching the face transfers the virus from the hands to the eyes, nose or mouth; the face should not be touched. Further, the hands should be washed properly, thoroughly and frequently with soap and water because soap kills the COVID-19. If it is necessary to touch anything outside the living space, wash the hands or use hand sanitiser, or both.

As Guyanese, we must take precautions to stop COVID-19 within our borders. As government puts systems in place, we can do our part by not travelling in busses whose operators are not masked. We should not make purchases from unmasked vendors. We should maintain social distancing. And, of course, we should all be masked while in public or interacting with anyone.

It should be noted that if we do not comply with directives, and the numbers of infections and deaths continue to rise, government is certain to effect more stringent control-measures, and, a 24 hour curfew would not be nice.

Regards
Mark DaCosta