#BTEditorial – New COVID variants near Barbados a sobering lesson

The news that Trinidad and Tobago has confirmed the discovery of the highly transmissible Brazilian variant of the coronavirus has predictably generated much conversation among Barbadians.

According to the health authorities in Port of Spain, the variant was detected in a sample that was sent to the University of the West Indies for genetic sequencing.

Media reports said it’s the first time a variant of concern has been found in the Trinidadian community, since both the UK and Brazilian variants were only detected in repatriated nationals or people seeking to enter the country.

In response, commenters on social media platforms have advised “to be aware”, “be careful with welcoming tourists,” “step up restrictions” and the like.

One can hardly deny that it’s an unwelcome development in our Caribbean neighbour that should be closely monitored.

But if we have been following the advice of our health authorities and safeguarding our health and that of our loved ones, there’s no need for either undue worry or unnecessary restrictions.

Indeed, the Trinidad-based Virology Professor at the University of the West Indies Dr Christopher Oura is quoted in the Trinidad Guardian as saying there is no need for increased restrictions at this time.

Professor Oura said: “We know how to get rid of this virus. We know what to do. We need to test. We need to track and we need to trace.

“So we need to look very carefully at the area where it’s circulating and make sure we test and we track and we trace the virus so we catch as many of the people or all the people that have been infected and we make sure those people isolate, we make sure those people don’t pass the virus on to others.”

His statements are a clear reminder that the ever lurking coronavirus has not been vanquished and we must be vigilant.

The World Health Organisation warns that COVID-19 infections have been rising at an alarming rate for eight consecutive weeks, as the virus sweeps unabated through hotspots in several corners of the globe.

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus says that more than 5.2 million new cases were recorded last week — the most in a single week since the pandemic began.

Here at home, we have looming challenges.

Authorities here are still investigating a cluster at a church in the north which Chief Medical Officer Dr Kenneth George warned Monday remains a major concern with possible contacts apparently refusing to come forward for testing.

Dr George said: “The situation which has the potential to get beyond us is the church cluster. They still remain a bit unknown; and persons have either used the opportunity to either go into obscurity or have not come forward… and these individuals know who they are… and we will put some measures in place to see where possible we can contact these people.”

Practices like these must be condemned and dealt with speedily – the risk is far too great.

Needless to say, as a country, we’re making progress. The decrease in cases, alongside the vaccine rollout is especially encouraging. But even so, achieving herd immunity will take far longer than expected.

So in the meantime, we’ve got to continue playing our part.

As restrictions are eased there can be a false sense of security, but the last thing we need is a repeat of the viral spread evident in late December, January and February.

Variant or no variant, the protocols remain the same, our vigilance must not wane.

Wear a mask, sanitize, continue to practice social distancing even if you received the vaccine.

Better days, it seems, are in sight, but not if we drop the ball and recklessly fail to keep each other safe.