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To BLP Administration: Re. Covid 19 protocols

Submitted by William Parker I wish to congratulate the BLP government on their handling of the Covid 19 in 2020. Now that the various “versions” of the original Virus has reached here and the infection rate and deaths are spiralling out of control it is apparent to some, including me, that the government has no…

Submitted by William Parker

I wish to congratulate the BLP government on their handling of the Covid 19 in 2020.

Now that the various “versions” of the original Virus has reached here and the infection rate and deaths are spiralling out of control it is apparent to some, including me, that the government has no answers and is reacting and not pro-acting.

I understand the need for the current lockdown and we all know that 2 weeks is just a start and it will be needed for a lot longer.

However the shutting on the mini marts and way side vendors leaves a lot of us bewildered as the logic behind it. In the area that I live R&R convenience, Mikes Mini Mart, EZ mini Mart and all the others are closed. These were locally owned shops where the poor, and not so poor, could get a little credit until the NIS cheque arrives, when the Post Office reopens, and walk a short distance home in the fresh air.

Now these people have to get an occasional bus to Massy in Oistins, and mix with those in the shop and be infected not only by the current shoppers but those who were there one or two hours ago. Are you telling us that it is safer for a person, who does not have a car, to catch a ZR and travel to Oistins to get a few items than to visit the corner shop?

The word that I have heard from more than one person is that in the last shut down the Major Supermarkets lost a lot of revenue because people switched to minimarts and a lot of way side vendors started. Is the way to make sure that the large foreign owned companies got more of the pie? It certainly seems so.

You have closed them on weekends so their overall sales will increase and their overheads will decrease. Bajans have been very good in following the new rules, and rightfully so, but there is a growing undercurrent of frustration and if the government is not careful there will be mass disobedience. This will hurt everyone. I hope that you can take a pause and consider the additional hardships you are causing a lot of Barbadians.

Thank you. I am a proud Bajan and supporter of the BL&P in the last few elections.

725 responses to “To BLP Administration: Re. Covid 19 protocols”

  1. Cuhdear Bajan Avatar
    Cuhdear Bajan

    @WURA-War-on-U February 27, 2021 8:00 PM

    Damien is one of our many good guys. Smart too. I am just about to buy his book “Medicinal Plants of Barbados”

    I use both “Western” and traditional medicines, and I do enjoy reading about plants both medicinal and otherwise

  2. Artax Avatar
    Artax

    “Your problem is that you want to discuss policy proposals with people who cannot or do not want to discuss these issues with you.”
    “They want to shout abuse, hector and bully fro behind a mask and you are meant to run away. You are right about the president.”

    +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

    That guy needs to come off his ‘soap box.’

    I’ll AGREE that, from time to time, Angela Cox/Mariposa makes some excellent contributions, especially if they are verifiable or the source is credible. And, sometimes she does a good job defending the DLP and criticizing the BLP.

    However, I DON’T believe “people CANNOT or DO NOT want to discuss policy proposals with her.”

    I’m sure we’re all aware Mariposa also has a penchant for posting comments, as TRUTH, that are vague, questionable or misleading, ESPECIALLY if she BELIEVES those comments reflect negatively upon Mottley and ‘government.’
    And, even when presented with information that clearly indicates otherwise, she would REMAIN ADAMANT they are true.

    In the interest of clarity and to stimulate further discussion, we would obviously ASK pertinent questions. Her responses are usually vague, with an overwhelming amount of broad generalizations and metaphors.

    When pressed to be a bit more specific or it has been PROVEN her comments were actually MISLEADING, she instinctively resorts to “hectoring and bullying FROM BEHIND HER MASK,” (which the guy has unwittingly recognised) calling people, ‘BLP yard-fowls, misfits, jackasses, RH,’ etc.

    A ‘behaviour pattern’ BU’s resident ‘pseudo-psychologist’ associates with someone who is UNABLE to DEFEND a comment or SUSTAIN a reasonable discussion…….. and immediately identifies as a characteristic manifestation of the ‘Bajan condition.’

    Then, with ‘precise predictability,’ he assumes the role of ‘pro bono lawyer’ and intervenes to defend Cox and call us “cyber bullies and keyboard warriors,” simply because we ASKED her questions……… as well as to “shout (his usual) personal abuse, which is meant (for us) to RUN AWAY.”

    Therein lies the problem.

    I believe difficulties arise when we’re unable to engage in RATIONAL, OBJECTIVE and MEANINGFUL discussions on any topic, with someone whose ONLY approach to EVERY ISSUE is from a perspective that is POLITICALLY BIASED and has an unwavering determination to maintain that position.
    Someone whose contextual interpretation of a discussion is confined to politicizing it into a BLP versus DLP scenario.
    Someone who, rather than analyse a specific comment or question within its given context, interprets them to be a ‘BLP motivated attack.’

    Consequently, I’m forced to question the sincerity or particular motives of a guy who professes to be objective, yet, on one hand he EMBRACES Cox’s political bias and ‘one dimensional approach’ to issues as a sign she’s intelligent and “tries to raise (her) game”………….

    ……….. but, on the other, REBUFFS Lorenzo for his, while calling him a ‘baboon.’

  3. WURA-War-on-U Avatar
    WURA-War-on-U

    “Medicinal Plants of Barbados”

    pity they rely so heavily on chemical based medicines, they do have their place but not all the time and only as a last resort.

  4. Cuhdear Bajan Avatar
    Cuhdear Bajan

    I get my water from the desal plant at Spring Garden, and so do 2 of my siblings. No Covid19 yet. I haven’t seen the Covid bus in my gap yet. All of the neighbors seem healthy and happy, the old people, the middle aged ones, the little ones, everybody. No I have not been boiling my water.

    If that changes I’ll certainly let BU know.

  5. Tony Avatar
    Tony

    BY CHARLIE D’AGATA
    FEBRUARY 27, 2021 / 7:11 AM / CBS NEWS

    One of the strongest weapons against COVID-19 variants may be a vaccine the FDA hasn’t approved yet.

    London — One of the strongest weapons against the troubling number of new coronavirus variants in the United States and worldwide may be one vaccine the FDA hasn’t approved yet.

    Earlier this month, the World Health Organization gave the go ahead for the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine to be used internationally, and it is already being distributed in countries around the world to help fight COVID-19. But AstraZeneca is awaiting the results of clinical trials in America, which it expects to wrap up in the coming weeks, before it makes its application to the FDA.

    In the meantime, buoyed by the fact that their vaccine is relatively easy to update, scientists at Britain’s Oxford University are modifying it in a preemptive strike to prevent new coronavirus variants, including the variant first discovered in South Africa, from taking hold.

  6. Donna Avatar
    Donna

    Okay. I made a mistake wrt alcohol content and proof. 70 % alcohol.

    Artax,

    It never ends.

  7. Cuhdear Bajan Avatar
    Cuhdear Bajan

    I an NOT a doctor, not even a pieca one. But decades ago one of the kids had a fever that would not break, not even after a week of “Western” medicine. Then I remembered that during the 1968 flu a younger sibling had delirium and a fever that would not break, then my mother picked some cassava leaves heated them and put the warm leaves under the child’s sheet, in the pillow case and tied some in a scarf around her head. In the morning the delirium and fever were gone as though they were never there. I did the same with my own kid and observed the same thing. I understand that scientifically maybe that was the day the fever was going to go away anyhow, but…

    I am NOT a doctor nor am I any kind of health professional. John K says he is a half a lawyer. I am not even half a doctor.

  8. Donna Avatar
    Donna

    Artax,

    And about your very rational assessment of the Angela Cox / Hal Austin tag team.

    Spot on!

  9. John Avatar
    John

    lyallsmallFebruary 27, 2021 7:11 PM

    Cuhdear bajan;

    Thanks for the post adising that today’s dashboard is out.

    There is one interesting statement accompanying the dashboard. “The 44 new cases comprised 17 men and 27 women. Seven of them had already been at the Harrison Point Isolation Facility undergoing assessment to determine whether their positive PCR test result showed that they were in fact newly positive, or whether they had COVID in the past and were no longer infectious. Thirty-six of the new cases were Barbadians.”

    +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

    What we need to know is where do the 44 men and women live.

    The fact that they are at Harrison Point is good because they cannot infect the ground water sources which supply the various public water supply wells.

    Paragon is ideal as well.

    Maybe the GOB has figured it out too!!

  10. John Avatar
    John

    Perhaps they know where the 44 cases live!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  11. John Avatar
    John

    TonyFebruary 27, 2021 8:52 PM

    BY CHARLIE D’AGATA
    FEBRUARY 27, 2021 / 7:11 AM / CBS NEWS

    One of the strongest weapons against COVID-19 variants may be a vaccine the FDA hasn’t approved yet.

    London — One of the strongest weapons against the troubling number of new coronavirus variants in the United States and worldwide may be one vaccine the FDA hasn’t approved yet.

    ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

    Why haven’t any of the variants reached New Zealand, Singapore or Australia?

  12. John Avatar
    John

    Cuhdear BajanFebruary 27, 2021 8:51 PM

    I get my water from the desal plant at Spring Garden, and so do 2 of my siblings. No Covid19 yet. I haven’t seen the Covid bus in my gap yet. All of the neighbors seem healthy and happy, the old people, the middle aged ones, the little ones, everybody. No I have not been boiling my water.

    If that changes I’ll certainly let BU know.

    ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

    If you live in St. Thomas at the elevation you live it is highly unlikely that the BWA would pump water from sea level (0 feet) especially for you and your gap at 980 feet above sea level.

    There may be a simple explanation why you have not seen the COVID bus.

    You don’t get water from the desal plant!!

    Chances are you may be getting from Sweet Vale, maybe Applewhaites pumping stations.

    I’d say check again because I don’t believe you don’t know what you are talking about!!

    I can’t see the BWA lifting water at sea level above 200 feet to supply reservoirs to gravity feed below but I could be wrong.

    Applewhaites is a stretch at 440 feet above sea level but Sweetvale is at 700 feet so more likely Sweetvale.

    Maybe Bowmanston at 600 feet or a combination, Applewhaites to Golden Ridge reservoir then to Castle Grant.

    My guess is you have regular water outages up in St. Thomas, plenty rain but problems from the BWA.

    Applewhaites, Sweetvale, Bowmanston … middle of the agricultural areas so you are probably getting plenty fertiliser and other agricultural chemicals in your water … no way to take them out!!

    Hope you are on the pill!!

  13. 555dubstreet Avatar
    555dubstreet

    Artax are you implying that Theo and Waru are lovers or is just my imagination running away with me spit it out

  14. David Avatar
    David

    @Lyall

    Go to about 26 minutes from start of the press conference (video). The explanation of the assessments is made by Dr. Anton Best.

    https://youtu.be/LuIa9Dp9-7A

  15. John Avatar
    John

    Maybe your observation about the absence of the COVID bus from your area is probably extremely astute.

    What I would say is if you’ve seen the COVID Bus in your area, boil your water!!

  16. John Avatar
    John

    lyallsmallFebruary 27, 2021 8:37 PM

    John
    Yuh chek out if duh have differences in Covid-19 incidence between areas of the Island that are not serviced by sewage plants against those that are not so serviced? Also, if the covid viruses found in sewage elsewhere are dead or alive?inactive or virulent? etc. etc.

    ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

    Read the papers I have posted!!

  17. John Avatar
    John

    It is quite possible for extremely advanced countries to have problems with their water supplies.

    eg Flint in Michigan in the US of A!!

  18. TheOGazerts Avatar
    TheOGazerts

    “Artax are you implying that Theo and Waru are lovers or is just my imagination running away with me spit it out”

    Best laugh I had all day.

    I stay on the sidelines and give my opinion. Nothing more nothing less.

    Got a good woman in my home.

  19. John Avatar
    John

    Lead is an inorganic element.

    If it is in solution in water boiling won’t remove it.

    Luckily, it will kill any bacteria or virus, but won’t remove fertiliser so for heaven’s sake, take your pill.

  20. TheOGazerts Avatar
    TheOGazerts

    Going to stick with the one I brought to the dance…

    https://youtu.be/e0qobor4ew4

  21. John Avatar
    John

    One way of getting rid of the fertiliser, NPK all inorganic elements in solution, is to distil the water, catch the steam, condense it and then you would have pure water without the pesky fertiliser.

  22. Artax Avatar
    Artax

    555dubstreet February 27, 2021 9:56 PM #: “Artax are you implying that Theo and Waru are lovers or is just my imagination running away with me spit it out.”

    @ 555

    It’s definitely “your imagination running away with you,” because I NEVER wrote anything that would suggest or imply “Theo and Waru are lovers.”

  23. Cuhdear Bajan Avatar
    Cuhdear Bajan

    @John

    I see a BWA techie whom I have know since childhood fairly regularly. I’ll ask.

  24. John Avatar
    John

    So if you look at Michigan and COVID, here’s what you find.

    https://imgur.com/rXiKbwW

    They can get the airborne spread to fall but they can’t get the waterborne spread to end, like Singapore, NZ and Australia.

    The way to eradicate the virus is to prevent it getting into the Drinking Water.

    That’s the good news, COVID does not have to be with us forever if we use our heads.

  25. John Avatar
    John

    If you live at 980 feet above sea level I doubt you are getting water from the desal plant.

    Find out which wells you get your water from.

  26. Cuhdear Bajan Avatar
    Cuhdear Bajan

    John if by the pill you mean the contraceptive pill I am long, long, long. past reproductive age.

  27. Sargeant Avatar
    Sargeant

    @John
    It is quite possible for extremely advanced countries to have problems with their water supplies.
    eg Flint in Michigan in the US of A
    +++++++++++++++++++++++

    Flint’s water problems were avoidable, and that explains why charges were laid against former Gov’t officials.

    https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/michigan/flint-water-crisis/2021/01/14/nine-michigan-officials-charged-flint-water-crisis/4161106001/

  28. Sargeant Avatar
    Sargeant

    @John
    They need to look at the water supply of Singapore, New Zealand and Australia.

    +++++++

    Would appreciate hearing about Singapore’s water supply

  29. John Avatar
    John

    Here’s what Canada looks like.

    If my logic is right I’d say it has a water problem wherever the cases are concentrated.

    https://imgur.com/gSllCTU

  30. John Avatar
    John

    SargeantFebruary 27, 2021 10:52 PM

    @John
    They need to look at the water supply of Singapore, New Zealand and Australia.

    +++++++

    Would appreciate hearing about Singapore’s water supply

    +++++++++++++++++++++++

    You have not been paying attention.

    Been there, done that.

  31. John Avatar
    John

    JohnFebruary 23, 2021 12:43 AM

    JohnFebruary 21, 2021 2:44 PM

    The gold standard is Singapore where water treatment is concerned.

    https://www.pub.gov.sg/watersupply/fournationaltaps/newater

    +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

    Stage 1 – Microfiltration / Ultrafiltration
    The first stage of the NEWater production process is known as Microfiltration (MF) or Ultrafiltration (UF). In this process, the treated used water is passed through membranes to filter out microscopic particles and bacteria.

    Stage 2 – Reverse Osmosis
    The second stage of the NEWater production process is known as Reverse Osmosis (RO). In RO, a semi- permeable membrane is used. The semi-permeable membrane has very small pores which only allow very small molecules like water molecules to pass through. Consequently, undesirable contaminants including viruses cannot pass through the membrane.

    Stage 3 – Ultraviolet Disinfection
    After the RO stage, the water is already of a high grade water quality. The third stage of the NEWater production process is ultraviolet or UV disinfection which is capable of killing both bacteria and viruses. This process acts as an additional safety measure to guarantee the purity of NEWater.

    ++++++++++++++++++++++

    There you go.

    Singapore has 4 sources of water.

    Rainfall collection
    Purchased from Malaysia and piped across the Straits of Johore
    Collection and Treatment of Raw Sewage
    True De-Salination with the sea as input

    They are on top of their water supply because they have to be,

    They support about 6 million people on an island the size of Barbados.

    They are the Gold Standard!!

  32. John Avatar
    John

    They have 29 COVID deaths!!!

    Says everything you need to know.

    New York besides having 400K at risk people with impaired lung function from 911, probably has a substandard water system when compared against Singapore.

    … and a sub standard mayor and governor.

  33. John Avatar
    John

    SargeantFebruary 27, 2021 10:39 PM

    @John
    It is quite possible for extremely advanced countries to have problems with their water supplies.
    eg Flint in Michigan in the US of A
    +++++++++++++++++++++++

    Flint’s water problems were avoidable, and that explains why charges were laid against former Gov’t officials.

    https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/michigan/flint-water-crisis/2021/01/14/nine-michigan-officials-charged-flint-water-crisis/4161106001/

    +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

    Agree.

    If the desal plant is at fault it would show up in cases clustered in geographic locations served by water from it.

    I do not believe geographic clusters of cases are easily missed.

    Was the spread of COVID in Barbados avoidable?

    I have no proof that it is, just the simple fact that it is the only water supply source in Barbados with no zoning restrictions around it.

    In addition the housing density around it is high and it is becoming evident in the literature that the virus can survive in sewage which ends up in the groundwater treated by the desal plant.

    If it is a problem the GOB has to know.

  34. Sargeant Avatar
    Sargeant

    @John
    The NEWater Singapore uses is reclaimed water aka sewage water, are you saying that Singapore anticipated the Corona virus and its treatment of that water foreshadowed the arrival of the virus?

  35. William Skinner Avatar
    William Skinner

    @ Cuhdear Bajan
    We had several private high schools that could not match any public high school. To put it directly no student from private high school could come close to winning any Barbados scholarship.
    There is also a myth that private primary school have better teachers. The elitist system we have ,essentially suits very upper class students and therefore it appears , that these students are better than public primary school students. That’s a myth as well.
    Quite frankly I believe that 80 percent of the children whom we consider to be “ bright” will do well in our private or public primary schools.
    Therefore I suggest that many parents are wasting thousands of dollars sending their children to private primary schools. It’s more a class thing than anything else.
    The only advantages in private primary schools maybe smaller class sizes and better organized PRAs etc. Better support teams and these help.
    Going back to private secondary schools. Outside of a few that catered to the upper classes, many , some say all, private high schools used to receive considerable financial assistance from the government to pay staff etc.
    With the advent of Comprehensive schools, the student population was easily accommodated and that meant the end of most private secondary schools , which were owned by black people.I don’t think any exist today.
    The only private ones left are those that cater to the. Upper classes.

  36. NorthernObserver Avatar
    NorthernObserver

    @pacha
    I own NO land in Buhbaydus, only a few shares in GEL, and it seems they also own very little land. So eminent domain has no effect on me personally. I wasn’t waiting for it, its a possible method.
    Acquisition is one side of the equation, distribution is the other?
    I think without a far more solid plan, not one RH will happen.
    For while land distribution maybe the goal, it fcuks with a great many other operational methods.
    And you done know, without restrictive covenants, the first thing a bunch of the new landowners will do, is sell it.

  37. Critical Analyzer Avatar
    Critical Analyzer

    @William Skinner February 28, 2021 1:36 AM
    You are correct in that teachers are the same in both public and private schools and children for the most part will perform the same under both systems in Barbados with the exception being the ones with special needs which will do better under the smaller class sizes in private. But parents are not going private to get their children better English and Mathematics marks.

    More and more parents are selecting private schools especially at the primary level because of the more rounded curriculum and school environment offered there exposing their children to more critical thinking and real world life building skills at an early age helping to build a more rounded student. e.g. they may do a school project where they have to run a mini business.

  38. 555dubstreet Avatar
    555dubstreet

    In 1937 USA tried to implement a law to ban lynching which failed to go through.
    In 2018 they tried again Congress passed the anti-lynching legislation but Senate took no action.
    The Billie Holliday film United States vs Billie Holliday shows how the racist Henry Aslinger started the war on Drugs when he became the first commissioner of FBI narcotics criminalising black people by conflating race with drug use which created the prison industrial complex of today.


    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nWD7ZsBWUHU

  39. David Avatar
    David

    Clusters contained, says George
    By Barry Alleyne
    barryalleyne@nationnews.com
    Those troublesome COVID-19 clusters on the West Coast and in the north of the island are now considered contained.
    But the Ministry of Health and Wellness still has its eye on the Geriatric Hospital, where another new infection was recently found, and a senior nursing home in a rural parish that had more than 30 infections and had to be morphed into an isolation centre.
    Good news
    That’s the good news coming from Chief Medical Officer Dr Kenneth George, who said that while the clusters were the country’s biggest problem in battling the virus last year, it was now community transmission.
    Late last year when community spread of the COVID-19 virus had first been identified in Barbados, Minister of Health and Wellness Lieutenant Colonel Jeffrey Bostic had revealed public health officials were investigating two clusters in the south of the island, two on the island’s West Coast, a West Coast bar, and a church in St Lucy.
    Earlier this month after more than 300 infections, Her Majesty’s Prison Dodds,
    became virus-free and now the other clusters are no longer a major issue, George confirmed.
    “The situation with the other clusters has settled down and we are very glad about that,” the chief medical said. “Based on how things are going now, the situation should continue to be under control. Our concern now is getting a hold of community spread in Barbados,” he explained.
    According to George, with the outbreak at the island’s lone prison being under control, it also meant the infections from the identified bus crawl attended by staff of the prison on Boxing Day, December 26 last year, had also been contained.
    He said public health officials were still very hard at work trying to contain a recent spate of infections at the Geriatric Hospital in Beckles Road, St Michael.
    “We had cases of COVID-19 of both clients and staff at the Geriatric Hospital more than two and a half weeks ago. We first tested a whole ward and there were no positive cases. We then tested every single staff member employed at the hospital and on the first occasion, there were also no positive cases. But then a few days ago we had one positive infection from the kitchen staff and we dealt with that,” George revealed.
    He said the individual had been placed in a quarantine approved hotel, all meals for the hospital had been outsourced from the country’s Psychiatric Hospital and every public health protocol carried out when the first infections appeared earlier this year would be carried out again.
    The kitchen staff numbered about 15 and tracing of primary contacts was also carried out by the ministry, he added.
    Some recovered
    Regarding the nursing home which had 33 COVID-19 infections, George said some people had recovered and though that cluster was contained through making the home an isolation facility, it was not yet closed.
    “It was a difficult task for health officials, but Dr (Corey) Forde, the isolation facilities manager, and his team have worked hard to keep it contained, and will continue to work until that situation solves itself. People are going home every day so we don’t expect that to be a problem going forward,” he added.
    George said information about the clusters was not being made public on an individual basis, but recoveries of people who had been infected had continued throughout 2021 and were contained in the daily dashboard distributed by the COVID-19 Communications Unit.
    “Public health personnel have been working day and night. Cases are coming in and cases are going out every day. We still have a few hotspots we are interested in, but for the most part, all clusters are under control. We are still monitoring everything because we know and understand that clusters will come and clusters will go,” he said.
    The doctor said that for most of 2021, cases of COVID-19 had been new and related to the second wave of cases from community transmission, and not from the West Coast, West Coast bar, southern cases or the church in the north. “None of the new cases is linked to any of the clusters identified last year,” he asserted.

    Source: Nation

  40. David Avatar
    David

    Starting this morning the blogmaster will delete comments as he sees fit.

  41. David Avatar
    David

    DEEP TRACE
    Special Covid-19 teams going into high-risk areas
    By Barry Alleyne barryalleyne@nationnews.com
    There will be a new contact tracing crew on duty from tomorrow.
    Still concerned about the number of people who could be in their homes infected with the COVID-19 virus across the country and whom they may infect, the Ministry of Health is now in the process of gathering more resources to conduct contact tracing in certain high-risk communities which have been identified as havens for transmission of the virus.
    Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Dr Kenneth George told the Sunday Sun yesterday that the new teams would be concentrated in specific areas in St Michael and Christ Church.
    He did not reveal the names of the specific communities, since he said, that could lead to national panic.
    George said they were still very concerned about the number of possibly infected people in their homes rather than in approved quarantine hotels.
    “If we are to keep bringing down community spread in Barbados, this is what we have to do.
    We want them to be in quarantine,” he said.
    “We are trying our level best to bring on new staff to add to the contact tracing team. We want in short order to bring on some doctors trained specifically in public health to add value to what we are doing,” the CMO said.
    He said the recent Operation Seek And Save initiative had unearthed almost 20 new COVID-19 infections, adding the new teams would be seeking to find more asymptomatic people who might have the virus and still be infectious, meaning they could spread COVID-19 within their individual two-week incubation period.
    “If some Barbadians see environmental health officers or other officials in their communities from Monday, I want them to know it is not about discrimination. It is about where we have the evidence of infections, we are going to do a scaledup programme,” he said.
    He noted that new, more transmissible strains of COVID-19 are already making it more difficult for public health officials to contain community spread.
    George said logistical problems had led to more than 400 people waiting in their homes for transportation to quarantine-approved hotels after testing positive, but a recent intervention had brought the number down to just under 100. “We were able to start that movement of people about two days ago, so it is well under way,” he said.
    Public health officials have already confirmed that new strains of COVID-19 were ultra-aggressive in terms of transmission.
    “Based on clinical presentation, you can’t determine if a person has a new strain. The way how the virus spreads within communities is important. But we have reason to believe that shorter interactions between people without masks are also contributing to the spread of the disease and that is typical of how the new variants spread,” George explained.
    “At no one point in time we can say we have the variant in any one community, but based on the behaviour of the disease and the extent of spread and the death rates, we believe there is a high probability the variants are operational in Barbados. That’s why we tell the public there are two strategies. The contact tracing, which we are trying to do, and vaccination of the public,” he said.
    George said officials would now be paying special attention to getting positive people to quarantine hotels and away from overcrowded homes. He asked for the public’s cooperation, advising that when families are placed in quarantine, some would have to be split up, though in the same facility.
    The doctor also revealed that a new arrangement had been made with a Canadian company for samples to be sent off next week to determine if new variants, inclusive of a South African variant, were present in Barbados. “As far we know, the only variant here is still the UK variant,” he concluded.
    The Chief Medical Officer said the Canadian entity had been chosen after the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) had experienced some logistical problems with testing samples from jurisdictions within the Eastern Caribbean.


    Source: Nation

  42. David Avatar
    David

    COVAX vaccines for region
    Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean countries are set to receive vaccines to cover a proportion of 16 per cent to 20 per cent of their populations.
    In a press release yesterday from the Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO), it was stated that on Friday, the COVAX Facility announced its final allocation of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine to Barbados, 100 800 doses; St Lucia, 74 400 doses; 40 800 doses to Antigua and Barbuda; 21 600 doses to St Kitts and Nevis; 45 600 doses to Grenada; 28 800 doses to Dominica; and 45 600 doses to St Vincent and the Grenadines.
    The release stated the PAHO Revolving Fund for Vaccines (RFV) would procure and deliver the COVAX vaccines which the countries would start receiving in March, if all the conditions are met.
    The PAHO/WHO Representative for Barbados and Eastern Caribbean countries, Dr Yitades Gebre, said “the priority of the first phase of vaccination is to save lives. We will achieve this by vaccinating the most exposed groups – like the health professionals and the most vulnerable groups to developing severe COVID-19 illness”.
    Gebre said to achieve herd immunity, at least 70 per cent of the population would have to be vaccinated. “While we are vaccinating the most vulnerable and reducing the mortality, we need to keep all public health measures that can reduce the transmission: the use of masks, physical distancing, avoiding closed and crowded spaces.”
    (PR)

    Source: Nation

  43. David Avatar
    David

    Not simply a case of discipline
    Communication, class, trust and corruption are key factors for a nation to keep sight of in dealing with the COVID-19 situation. These factors influence levels of public compliance with protocols.
    Communications
    The current Government has been criticised from day one of its time in office for its communications approach. However, the need for public relations (PR) relating to the public on a regular and ongoing basis is now better appreciated. New Zealand, reportedly one of the most successful countries in managing the crisis, credits a lot of its success to its PR and communications strategy.
    New Zealand actually hired an advertising and marketing agency to manage COVID communications. The understanding was that in order for any measures to work, there had to be public buy-in. The way to buy-in was an intense and well thought out communications strategy.
    John Walsh, the person heading the PR push, in an article with the Guardian newspaper, said, “We knew right from the start that our way through this was getting people to do the right thing. One way you do that is you communicate well.” Walsh also said, “What was really important was the style, tone, and manner . . . . We worked hard on empathy. We tried very hard not to tell people off, and to be supportive.”
    Our COVID communicators seem to really be trying to regulate their style, tone and manner.
    The stereotypical Bajan style of communication is to tell people off and not necessarily be very supportive.
    Class
    One area where the Kiwi PR fell down was with the indigenous Maori population. There is a racial and class divide in New Zealand between the indigenous people and the European-descended population.
    This has resulted in some weaknesses and failures in the communications strategy. One of the low points in the Barbados Government’s communications efforts was also rooted in a class divide.
    Our class issues came to the fore due to what was easily perceived to be the Government naming and shaming a bus crawl, citing it as a source of a number of infections. On the other hand, seemingly protecting the identities of a series of West Coast clusters, which were responsible for greater numbers of infections than said bus crawl. This is coupled with an inconsistency between the passionate and compassionate apology given to tourists inconvenienced by COVID protocols and the sometimes stern language directed at citizens, with scarcely an apology or acknowledgement of mistakes.
    The “We are all in this together” is stifled by the long-standing sense of multiple “unequal Barbadoses”.
    This feeling, which is not without merit, leads to resentment, suspicion, distrust and ultimately various forms of non-compliance. It doesn’t help when magistrates are overly harsh with citizens who may break protocols to survive.
    Trust
    It has been noted that the countries which have best dealt with COVID are the ones with the most disciplined populations. But there is more to it. This is not simply a case of discipline. Firstly, most of these countries have the financial resources to help shield citizens from the economic impact of tough measures. They are more comfortable. Next, high levels of cooperation and compliance with COVID restrictions are found mainly in countries with either high levels of government surveillance and authoritarianism or high levels of trust and satisfaction in the systems of governance.
    New Zealand happens to be a relatively wealthy nation, which has the lowest perception of corruption in the world, according to a recently released list by Transparency.org. However, Transparency.org also notes that some countries with higher perceptions of corruption may tend to breach human rights and democratic norms in seeking to manage the COVID-19 pandemic.
    Barbados ranks relatively well on the index list, at 29th out of 179 countries, but is not as well off.
    This means that to avoid the slide down the road of surveillance and authoritarianism we will have to work harder to build levels of communication and trust and a more equitable society.
    Adrian Green is a communications specialist.

    Source: Nation

  44. WURA-War-on-U Avatar
    WURA-War-on-U

    New Zealand only have to hear about ONE CASE…and they SHUT SHOP…it has shown itself successful in SLOWING THE VIRUS……as soon as the threat is passed, they reopen until next time…

  45. angela cox Avatar
    angela cox

    The problem with these PR communications they become a specialised tool of redundancy or a third arm of the mouthpiece of govt with words that ate consistently heard over and over again tailored to what govt wants the people to hear and in most time absent of truth and lacking of transparency which govt gingerly apply to brain wash the masses

  46. Crusoe Avatar
    Crusoe

    David, I read WARU’s comment, before I read your copy of Adrian Greene’s piece.

    AG highlighted the main ability of New Zealand to lockdown. Financial wealth. Further, the unemployment rate there is under 5%, versus over 50% in Barbados!

    You can be assured that any lockdowns here are finished, with unemployment so high, the country simply cannot afford it.

    AC may come and rant about people dying. But if her government had not totally screwed up the economy, there may be more options now. Maybe I would like to refer to some more of what AG fairly wrote and the relation to our circumstances, but for obvious reasons, I will not.

    Let us face it, we are in deep doodoo.

  47. angela cox Avatar
    angela cox

    Now listen up Crusoe the past govt “mishandling”
    Now what has present govt done to improve the economy
    If memory serves correct the debt did not start with the past govt
    A 14 year govt run under OSA has always use debt as a revolving door to maintain the economy
    Now what u need to check is the massive increase in debt in a two year period that present govt has attained aided by the IMF
    A debt so huge that barbadians.will be sh.iiting bricks to repay
    Please dont tell me about the COVID as an excuse because the backdrop and truthfulness is a fault line so long and wide wherby govt choose haste to handle the economic side of the COVID problem instead of brains

  48. WURA-War-on-U Avatar
    WURA-War-on-U

    “You can be assured that any lockdowns here are finished, with unemployment so high, the country simply cannot afford it.”

    only because they are NOT prepared for disaster or even external and internal shocks…THEY REFUSED TO DIVERSIFY the economy TO INCLUDE THE BLACK MAJORIITY in wealth generation for far TOO LONG …and for that they will pay.

    unfortunately, so will the innocent and helpless who will starve if Mia don’t open the borders to the other islands to stimulate business and generate cash flow….this backward 17th century view of the few keeping a STRANGLEHOLD on the economy WILL COST BLACK LIVES…

    closing the borders for food and other necessities but opening them for diseased tourists is the height of ignorance and stupidity…

  49. William Skinner Avatar
    William Skinner

    @ Critical Analyser
    “
    More and more parents are selecting private schools especially at the primary level because of the more rounded curriculum and school environment offered there exposing their children to more critical thinking and real world life building skills at an early age helping to build a more rounded student. e.g. they may do a school project where they have to run a mini business.”
    Point taken.
    However, I can safely say that one of the factors impeding projects at public primary schools is the lack of cash. Teachers will tell you that they often have to go in their pockets to pay for educational trips.
    The curriculum could be easily revamped but there is considerable opposition to new ideas.
    Finally, the greatest problem confronting public schools and the educational system is politics . I have called for the appointment of a Director of Education,approved by both houses after a worldwide search and automatically appointed to the senate and answerable to both houses. We need to dilute the political nonsense and concentrate on developing on most precious resource, our children.
    Of course the Director will be on a three to five year contract.

  50. angela cox Avatar
    angela cox

    So take a look backward at how govt pursue an economic path to maintain the economy
    A path which has turned out to be one of more infection and elderly death
    What little financial achievement was received was quickly depleted and having a govt having once again to turning to an overburden and exhausted people asking for financial help
    What if govt had used their brains time and resources to closed the borders earlier
    The story physically ..financially and emotionally on country and people would be different
    Why because at this point and time or resources would have been used during the past months to restructure and rebuild an economy geared and ready to be opened to an environment wherby the vaccine is making a difference in helping to open world wide economies making it safer for people to enter their shores
    Presently govt is caught between a rock and a hard place trying the preventive method and trying to put the horse back to stable all at a high cost
    Which means financial achievements being lost and govt having to continue on a mad dash of a borrowing spree

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