PRESIDENT, Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali, is encouraging Guyanese not to panic but to double-up on preventative measures in light of what appears to be a rise in the number of COVID-19 cases in the country. An even though the presence of the Omicron virus is still to be scientifically validated here, the recent increase in the infection rates point to a global trend which has already resulted in a tightening up on measures to contain the viral spread generated by this new variant.

At a press conference hosted by the President, he cautioned that even though the presence of the Omicron variant is not confirmed in Guyana, based on scientific evidence and worldwide experience the new variant is much more transmissible and could be the result of the recent spike in the country. The variant is now spreading explosively across Europe, the United States and other parts of the world and health authorities are now bracing themselves for a continuous rise in the virus. And even though the effects of the Omicron variant tend to be milder, authorities are leaving nothing to chance. The World Health Organisation (WHO) has designated the Omicron variant as a Variant of Concern (VOC) even as further epidemiologic studies are being done to better understand the virus in terms of transmissibility, severity of infection, vaccines performance and effectiveness of treatments.

Meanwhile, individuals are being urged to continue to adhere to the protocols and measures in place by the Ministry of Health such as wearing of masks, maintaining the required social distancing and no less important, to become fully vaccinated. Vaccines remain critical to the prevention and reduction of the deadly consequences of the COVID-19 virus including that of the more severe Delta variant.

Already, there has been an increase in infection rates among frontline medical personnel including doctors, nurses and laboratory technicians as a result of which many are forced to go into quarantine which is putting some pressure on the healthcare delivery system but this is not something unique to Guyana. President Ali assured the nation that every effort is being made to effectively manage the system. This view was also shared by Health Minister, Dr. Frank Anthony, who said that the healthcare system is capable of dealing with any surge in infections. He indicated that there is capacity at the Ocean View Hospital and other regional hospitals to deal with any rise in infection rates. Like President Ali, he also lauded the staff at these facilities for having risen to the challenge and perform their duties with high levels of commitment and professionalism.

This is no time to play politics with the lives and well-being of the Guyanese people as the opposition APNU+AFC Coalition is attempting to do. We live in an interconnected world and what happens in one part of the world is likely to affect other parts, especially given our proximity and easy access to neighbouring countries. The fact that Guyana has been fairly successfully in its vaccination programme and in limiting the spread of the COVID-19 virus is indeed commendable. As observed by President Ali, any single death from the virus is one too many and every possible measure will be taken to prevent the spread of the virus and further deaths.

Make no mistake about it. COVID-19 and its several variants remain the deadliest pandemic since outbreak of the Spanish flu in 1918. In our interconnected world, it is not too difficult for the virus to gain pandemic status as is currently the case. As of August last, there were 204 million confirmed cases globally including 4.3 million deaths. The good news is that it is possible to vaccinate our way out of the pandemic provided that we have enough of the vaccines to ensure global herd immunity. Unfortunately, we still have much ground to cover to make such immunity a reality. There is still a tendency for the richer countries to practice what is described as ‘vaccine nationalism’ which makes it so difficult to contain the spread globally, a situation made even worse with the emergence of the more easily transmissible Delta and Omicron variants.

In the final analysis, however, it is at the individual level that the virus can best be controlled. This is why it is so important to take all the necessary precautions including the need to be fully vaccinated and adhere to all the stipulated measures and protocols. Our greatest wealth is the health of our people and there can be no more important a task than to take good care of our individual health. The PPP/C administration is doing a great job in upgrading the health infrastructure, with the biggest share of the national budget allocated to the healthcare. It is for us all to take full advantage of the facility provided by the government in order to enjoy healthier and more productive lives.