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Coronavirus Back Story – Why Barbados is NOT Banning Travel from Affected Areas

The Editor

Barbados Underground

Barbados, W.I

Dear Sir/Madam

There was an article in your newspaper of 3 .February 2020 entitled: “Barbados not rushing to ban travellers from China.” The same message was also aired on radio. Mention was made about the statistical likelihood of an outbreak locally being under two percent. There was even mention of the fact that since 1967 there was no real impact on Barbados of the outbreak of contagious diseases. According to the aired news the local authorities were following the World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines. As the holder of a doctorate in microbiology and some one who has done post doctoral studies in the discipline, I have a few questions, which I want answered in the public interest.

According to the Center for Disease control and Prevention (CDC). the virus has an incubation period of two weeks. Infected person maybe asymptomatic during the two-week period. It was for this reason the USA instituted a ban on persons who had been exposed for less than two weeks entering its domain. The reason given for doing so was the logistics involved in screening for potential carriers. Let me explain.

Let us assume there is an asymptomatic carrier who has entered the Barbadian domain and is interacting with the locals. After realizing that there is an active carrier in Barbados, it is incumbent on the authorities to track down and screen all persons who have interacted with the carrier. If the carrier has interacted with one hundred persons, each person has to be screened. This only allows for interaction of the carrier with one hundred persons. Allowance also has to be made for the interaction of each member of the one-hundred with other people. As can be envisaged, the number of persons required to screen, dramatically increases to such an extent, that the screening process breaks down. It is for this reason that countries have introduced a ban on persons who come from infected areas. In the case illustrated above where would Barbados get the required trained persons to actively carry out screening?

There has been mention of the fact that Barbados is following the WHO guidelines. Is this the same WHO that was shown to be totally incompetent its handling of Ebola? What about the Haitian cholera outbreak? The latter was under the aegis of the United Nation of which WHO is a part. The best scientists in the field do not work for WHO; they are found in research institutions. The WHO like all other United Nations bodies are constrained by political realities of member states who push political objectives ahead of what the correct scientific should be. As far as I can make out, there seems to be a pecuniary method behind Barbados’s stance on this matter: namely an effort not to affect the tourist industry.

 

Sincerely

 

Robert D. Lucas, PH.D.

734 responses to “Coronavirus Back Story – Why Barbados is NOT Banning Travel from Affected Areas”

  1. David Avatar
    David

    This is a false story already refuted in traditional media. You could care less about Barbados. Every rumour you drag across the blog instead of rinsing that weave.

  2. Mariposa Avatar
    Mariposa

    Dont expect govt to have clean hands when giving information on this issues as govt backs are now pressed against a hard wall of the howls of fear coming from the populace

  3. Silly Woman Avatar
    Silly Woman

    @Mariposa February 5, 2020 8:21 PM “For sure Trump watching this decision by the barbados govt and if in as much as one person here get infected one can bet that Trump would put measures in place making it harder for people coming out of barbados to enter the USA.”

    You know that there are already 11 people in the USA in the following states Arizona, California, Illinois, Massachusetts, and Washington state infected with the novel corona virus right? And that a further 76 cases are being investigated. You know this right?

    Look here to see the data supplied by the American authorities: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/cases-in-us.html

  4. Silly Woman Avatar
    Silly Woman

    So we should stop Americans, Canadians and British people from coming here too, and stop Bajans from going to those places too?

  5. Silly Woman Avatar
    Silly Woman

    @Mariposa February 5, 2020 8:21 PM “Trump has made no bones about the fact he is taking no risk in letting any one living in these infected countries into America.”

    THE INFECTION IS ALREADY IN AMERICA you ninny.

  6. Silly Woman Avatar
    Silly Woman

    @Mariposa February 5, 2020 9:39 PM “Dont expect govt to have clean hands when giving information on this issues as govt backs are now pressed against a hard wall of the howls of fear coming from the populace.”

    The only body I hear howling is you.

  7. Hants Avatar
    Hants

    Two Canadians have been taken off a quarantined cruise ship in Japan and sent to a hospital after testing positive for the coronavirus.

    They are among the 251 Canadians on the Diamond Princess who have been quarantined off the coast of Japan over concerns regarding the virus.

  8. Mariposa Avatar
    Mariposa

    People would not be fearful if govt had taken the clear cut precautionary measures as to those which are in line with other international countries which opted to disallowing Chinese from entering the country
    Now Barbadians have turned to social media platforms to express their frustrations along with taken their own precautionary measures of buying face mask and other health related products to protect themselves
    Now here on BU we have knuckleheads who opt to have a view that people concerns about the virus are over the top emotional response
    Go figure

  9. Mariposa Avatar
    Mariposa

    Also a fear being expressed by those living in the area of the fiery landfill
    Fears of not leaving home because of the smell of the toxic fumes errupting from the mushroom cloud of smoke which hovers in and around the area as far as the eye can see
    The worrying aspect of these constant fires for these people comes down to their health being place in danger
    The long and short of this problem would continue as political interference refuses to endorse alternative solutions
    The people living in that area would remain sitting ducks for long term and enduring health related issues as the beat goes on

  10. Silly Woman Avatar
    Silly Woman

    @Mariposa February 5, 2020 8:21 PM “Trump has made no bones about the fact he is taking no risk in letting any one living in these infected countries into America.”

    @Mariposa February 6, 2020 5:52 AM “People would not be fearful if govt had taken the clear cut precautionary measures as to those which are in line with other international countries which opted to disallowing Chinese from entering

    The infection is already in America you ninny. The infection is ALREADY IN DOZENS OF OTHER COUNTRIES. So how would keeping out Chinese and letting in people from these other countries help? Or how would it help if Bajans were prevented from from going to or returning from these countries help? Or are you just being foolishly political partisan as usual?

    The government of Barbados is correct to be guided by the scientists in our own Ministry of Health, the scientists of the Pan American Health organization, the scientists of the [American] Centers for Disease Control, and the scientists of the World Health Organization, and not by ninnies like Mariposa. Stay in ya lane do.

    Locations with Confirmed 2019-nCoV Cases:

    China
Hong Kong
Macau
Taiwan
Australia
Belgium
Cambodia
Canada
Finland
France
Germany
India
Italy
Japan
Malaysia
Nepal
Philippines
Russia
Sri Lanka
Singapore
Spain
Sweden
Thailand
The Republic of Korea
United Arab Emirates
United Kingdom
United States
Vietnam
  11. Silly Woman Avatar
    Silly Woman

    https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/locations-confirmed-cases.html#map

    Locations with Confirmed 2019-nCoV Cases

  12. Hal Austin Avatar
    Hal Austin

    @ Mariposa

    Get back in your lane. Why is it that BU prowlers dislike the fact that you have an opinion? Have they ever heard of freedom of speech? And if so, do they know what it means? It does not mean you have to agree with everything people say, but, as the French philosopher is reported to have said, I’ll defend to death the right of the other person to express that view.
    As an ex journalist, I am against censorship. I only object to libel and vulgarities. Otherwise, have your say. Blame education by rote , it creates a binary mental world, things are black or whit, right or wrong, short or tall, DLP or BLP. That is the root of our failure as a nation.

  13. David Avatar
    David

    On top of the nonsense, she ran with a voice note that was circulated last night about a Chinese being quarantined at skydome. Do you know people from all over the world read these social media platforms? You irresponsible buffoon. Do you live Barbados?

  14. Silly Woman Avatar
    Silly Woman

    @Hal Austin February 6, 2020 7:21 AM ” Why is it that BU prowlers dislike the fact that you have an opinion?

    My response: i am not a prowler. I am here just as Mariposa is here. She is NOT a prowler. I am NOT a prowler. Why do you always have to use derogatory terms for other people? Just the other day you were asking about somebody’s tail when you know very well that human beings do not have tails.

    @Hal Austin February 6, 2020 7:21 AM Have they ever heard of freedom of speech? And if so, do they know what it means? It does not mean you have to agree with everything people say

    My response: Yes I have heard of freedom of speech. Yes I know what it means. I have NEVER asked or expected that Mariposa, or you or anybody else on the blog agree with me. And I am under no obligation to agree with Mariposa or you or anybody else on the blog. And I exercise my freedom of speech when i call out Mariposa for writing politically partisan nonsense.

    @Hal Austin February 6, 2020 7:21 AM “As an ex journalist, I am against censorship.”

    As an ex whatever I did not a living, I am also against censorship. I have NEVER tried to censor Mariposa or anybody else o the blog. In any event I can’t exercise censorship in this forum as I am not the blog owner and I have no authority to refuse to publish anybody’s contributions. Nor do I wish to have such authority. so I don’t know what censorship you are talking about old man.

    Stop trying to make Mariposa feel like she is a victim. Mariposa is no victim. David, God bless him, permits Mariposa to publish nonsense on his blog virtually everyday.

    What censorship what?

  15. Mariposa Avatar
    Mariposa

    DavidFebruary 6, 2020 7:22 AM

    On top of the nonsense, she ran with a voice note that was circulated last night about a Chinese being quarantined at skydome. Do you know people from all over the world read these social media platforms? You irresponsible buffoon. Do you live Barbados

    People all over the world read social media as well as listen to other media outlets world wide
    Which gives even more reason for govt to put measures in place which would do absolute diligence in diluting the fear which barbadians are feeling
    A fear which is real and which govt measures in addressing the issues complicates and plays a role of fearful thoughts in the minds of people

  16. David Avatar
    David

    Here is a warning to you and others. Any attempt to provoke panic around this issue will be me with CENSORSHIP.

  17. Mariposa Avatar
    Mariposa

    Btw David if govt had taken a sensible step if closing it doors to Chinese immigrants
    There would be no rumour mills turning
    In any case this govt will not be beholding to giving truthful information since the Corona mule has bolted and they have taken a path less travelled by other countries
    A path which leads to high risk for its people

  18. Silly Woman Avatar
    Silly Woman

    @Hal Austin February 6, 2020 7:21 AM ” Blame education by rote , it creates a binary mental world, things are black or whit, right or wrong, short or tall, DLP or BLP. ”

    So why is it that you always write about “education by rote?” Were you not educated in exactly the same system as we have been. Have you not been further educated both formally and informally in other places over and away, just as we have So why is our “rote learning” and yours in something different and better?

    I know that the English treated West Indian immigrants with contempt. They treated my two sisters and my brother and my aunt and my nephews and niece with contempt also. The English were WRONG to treat West Indian immigrants so badly. But there is no need for sensible to adopt the nasty English attitudes.

    Most of us are quite capable of seening shades of grey. We are even capable of seeing “Many Shades of Grey”, many of us are not aligned to any political party, certainly I am not. I’ve never asked for nor accepted any favour from any political party, so I don’t owe any political or any politician anything.

  19. Mariposa Avatar
    Mariposa

    Hal if one plummet this govt policies
    One runs the high risk of verbal assassination by govt supporters

  20. Silly Woman Avatar
    Silly Woman

    @Hal Austin February 6, 2020 7:21 AM ” Blame education by rote , it creates a binary mental world, things are black or whit, right or wrong, short or tall, DLP or BLP. ”

    So why is it that you always write about “education by rote?” Were you not educated in exactly the same system as we have been? Have you not been further educated both formally and informally in other places over and away, just as we have, so why is ours “rote learning” and yours in something different and better?

    I know that the English treated West Indian immigrants with contempt. They treated my two sisters and my brother and my aunt and my nephews and niece and my boyfriend with contempt also. The English were WRONG to treat West Indian immigrants so badly. But there is no need for sensible people to adopt the nasty English attitudes.

    Most of us are quite capable of seeing shades of grey. We are even capable of seeing “Many Shades of Grey”, lolll!!! Many of us are not aligned to any political party, certainly I am not. I’ve never asked for nor accepted any favour from any political party, so I don’t owe any political party or any politician anything.

    Lemme go and dig my sweet potatoes do.

    Damn annoying man.

  21. Silly Woman Avatar
    Silly Woman

    @Mariposa February 6, 2020 8:37 AM “Btw David if govt had taken a sensible step if closing it doors to Chinese immigrants. There would be no rumour mills turning.”

    People like you would find a way to build and keep a rumor mill running even if you were in the Kingdom of Heaven.

    Damn annoying person.

    Lemme go and dig my sweet potatoes do.

  22. Mariposa Avatar
    Mariposa

    Steupsee

  23. Mariposa Avatar
    Mariposa

    https://www.facebook.com/270969375988/posts/10156529517480989/

  24. Mariposa Avatar
    Mariposa

    The above video is for Silly woman

  25. Hal Austin Avatar
    Hal Austin

    @Silly Woman,

    I was not educated, that is why I know the damage learning by rote can do.

    @Mariposa

    It seems as if the ordinary people are ahead of the ruling classes? Good on them.

  26. john2 Avatar
    john2

    Mariposa

    How many direct flights/ships from China to Barbados?
    How many Chinese national visit Barbados per day/week/month?

    If the “major” countries closed their borders form Chinese nationals from the affected areas and the Chinese MUST come through one of the major countries to get to Barbados then what are you fearful of ?
    Doesn’t that not mean that Barbados borders are affectively closed to people from the affective area but ore borders are now extended to the “major” countries?

    In others words if a sick Chinese cannot get into the usa then he cannot get into Barbados – so what would we be closing our borders from?

    since the virus is in the USA should we close our borders to US visitors as well?

  27. Mariposa Avatar
    Mariposa

    John
    Let them all in
    We have world class health institutions like the USA and other international countries that can generate rapid response in times of crisis
    Yes!!!!

  28. john2 Avatar
    john2

    How will they get in if, according to you, the major countries already closed their borders and they MUST through one of the major countries to get to Barbados?

  29. Mariposa Avatar
    Mariposa

    John
    There is no guarantee that a person coming from China does not carry the virus
    Or is there
    Reason why all precautionary measures are necessary

  30. john2 Avatar
    john2

    there is no guarantee that a person coming from the USA does not carry the virus so should we close our borders to the USA?

    I notice you have not answer any om my questions.

  31. Mariposa Avatar
    Mariposa

    I am not a scientists but scientific facts have given all much a reason to be fearful
    Our govt has thrown caution to wind to save the tourist industry while driving fear into the minds of the people
    Not good governance

  32. john2 Avatar
    john2

    u don’t have to be a scientist to answer the simple questions I have ask of you

  33. Hal Austin Avatar
    Hal Austin

    @Mariposa

    There is no guarantee that anyone coming from anywhere can bring in the virus. The point is epidemiologically speaking (I am not an epidemiologist) the probability is higher for someone coming in from China, or who had been in contact with someone who recently visited China.
    It is called taking precautionary action. Better safe than sorry. What is the quality of Barbados’ surveillance facilities?

  34. john2 Avatar
    john2

    Did the DLP government shut down our borders to the people from the ebola countries?

  35. Mariposa Avatar
    Mariposa

    John dont bother using distraction as a method to distort what the facts about the virus verify
    Stick with what the realities and evidences produce by the virus as shown
    Sufficient and safe to say
    Safety by all means necesssry

  36. john2 Avatar
    john2

    Answer the questions you fearmonger.

    Corona and ebola are similar cases only different mutation of viruses and different region

  37. Mariposa Avatar
    Mariposa

    John keep yuh agenda to yourself
    What is happening now should be of more concern to you and others who take health issues seriously

  38. John2 Avatar
    John2

    The protocols for preventing the spread of ebola are the same as those for corno, worldwide

    We did not shut down then ,why should we should down now?

  39. Mariposa Avatar
    Mariposa

    I remember when past govt had protocols to adress the Ebola problem Mia took out her bull horn and called for banning
    So what is your problem John

  40. Artax Avatar
    Artax

    “Hal if one plummet this govt policies. One runs the high risk of verbal assassination by govt supporters.”

    Hmmmmm……….

    Who better than you could make that comment.

    After all, as a supporter of the previous DLP administration, you spent the entire 10 years of their tenure, “verbally assassinating” those individuals that “plummeted their policies.”

    According to the old saying: “six is half dozen.”

  41. robert lucas Avatar
    robert lucas

    John 2 February 6, 2020 1:22 PM

    The mode of transmission was different. In the present case coughing, sneezing and so on aids in transmission. Typical way the flu spreads In the case of Ebola transmission was by physical contact

  42. robert lucas Avatar
    robert lucas

    @ Hal February 6, 2020 11:19 AM
    You are correct. We can hire you to help in curbing the spread.

  43. robert lucas Avatar
    robert lucas

    @ Silly Woman February 6, 2020 8:42 AM

    “Lemme go and dig my sweet potatoes do.”

    You seem to have a lot of potatoes to dig. I hope you aren’t doing like “Mr. Agriculture” on the call-in program

  44. robert lucas Avatar
    robert lucas

    @ Silly Woman

    Government should hire you to do its public relations. You have a lot of views on the topic. You should have done. science

  45. Baje Avatar
    Baje

    Doctor who sounded alarm on coronavirus near death at Chinese hospital

    A Chinese doctor reprimanded by local authorities for trying to sound the alarm on the coronavirus, which has infected more than 28,000 and killed more than 560, is near death after contracting the disease.

    Dr. Li Wenliang, 34, is on a life-support machine at a hospital in Wuhan, China, the epicenter of the outbreak, officials said Thursday.

    “In the fight against the pneumonia epidemic of the new coronavirus infection, our hospital’s ophthalmologist Li Wenliang was unfortunately infected,” Wuhan Central Hospital officials said in a post Thursday on Weibo, a Chinese microblogging site. “He is currently in critical condition.”

    Chinese state media outlets reported that Li’s heart stopped Thursday morning, but doctors resuscitated him.

    https://www.yahoo.com/gma/doctor-sounded-alarm-coronavirus-near-death-chinese-hospital-194800957–abc-news-topstories.html

  46. Dishonest Bajans Avatar
    Dishonest Bajans

    Can you believe this bullshit?

    These fools including the medical professional allowed raw sewage (shit) to run on the streets of Barbados for about 2 years EVERY DAY and on peoples property with additional businesses closing in the Christ Church area and in addition to many people becoming sick over the same raw sewage (shit) on the street now diverted full-blown into the sea.

    One is supposed to have confidence in these jokers called the medical/health professionals and Government.

    I am convinced that Bajans in their arrogance on the island are the most foolish and ignorant on the planet.

  47. Silly Woman Avatar
    Silly Woman

    @robert lucas February 6, 2020 3:33 PM “You seem to have a lot of potatoes to dig. I hope you aren’t doing like “Mr. Agriculture” on the call-in program.”

    Lolll!!!. No man. The potatoes are all above board, planted by my own hands on a piece of family land my daddy bought in the 1940’s after coming back for doing his bit for peace, freedom and all of that (a civilian worker at Chaguaramas naval Facility in Trinidad). The SUN [that bit is for Miller] and the rain sent by God, the weeds removed by me and company, a bit of fertilizer, and old fashioned “stake manure” supplied by a kind neighbor who keeps cows.

    Had the yellow sweet potatoes, some yam cassava, spinach and other goodies as a chicken vegetable soup with yellow split peas.

  48. Silly Woman Avatar
    Silly Woman

    @Baje

    Really sorry to hear about young Dr. Li in China.

    The problem with letting non-professions interfere in the good work of professionals.

    What the hell did the Chines police think they were doing sending police to interfere in the doctors/hospitals business.

    Very likely nasty politics.

    The police need to stay in their lane.

  49. Miller Avatar
    Miller

    @ Silly Woman February 6, 2020 6:00 PM

    If you had done ‘science’- as recommended by Doc. Lucas- you would have known that Father “SUN” is the source of life on Mother Earth with her sister Moon and her brother Water the gamete that bind them into a ‘holy family’ of zygote alliance called life on the blue planet of Gaia.

    You the president for life have done and can grow everything under the Sun including parasites.

    Didn’t you tell us that you are also a lover of crabs? We are sure you are more at home ‘scratching’ for their friends relaxing in warm hairy places rather than digging for potatoes to pull yams.

    As Dr. Lucas has strongly prescribed, you naïve blacks need to take your childish heads out of the Jewish fairytale book of Genesis and ‘delve into’ the books of science for your mental emancipation.

  50. Lorenzo Avatar
    Lorenzo

    Mariposa you dodging all of john 2 questions.He asked you if there are no direct flights from china to Barbados how will chinese get here unless through some other country? You have not answered the question which renders your opinion as utter nonsense.Instead you and your sidekick Austin neither of whom are medical or any kind of expert shoot of your mouths on this virus to score cheap political points. Shame on both of you.

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