Two members of the University of the West Indies COVID-19 Task Force have authored a handbook outlining ethical principles to guide the responses of Caribbean governments and policymakers in managing the COVID-19 pandemic.
Dr Anna Kasafi Perkins, an ethics specialist, and Professor R Clive Landis, a cardiovascular research expert who chairs the COVID-19 Task Force, wrote the handbook aimed at helping decision-makers navigate the ethical dilemmas arising from the mix of medical, social, economic and other issues posed by COVID-19.
The eBook entitled, Ethics Amidst COVID-19: A Brief Ethics Handbook for Caribbean Policymakers and Leaders is free. It is available for download via The UWI COVID-19 Task Force website.
A release from the UWI said Dr Perkins and Professor Landis prepared the handbook as part of the university’s mandate to provide accurate and reliable information in the wake of the pandemic.
“They hope that it encourages ethical commitment and action among Caribbean decision-makers who bear different ethical burdens to those of the ordinary citizen, particularly in their responsibility to make rules and impose policies that affect the lives of entire nations and peoples,” it said.
The book is divided into four parts, including an introduction with subsequent sections exploring relevant ethical principles. Real and adapted case studies are presented to further illustrate the application of key principles in what are often morally complex circumstances that cry out for careful judgement based on a principle-based approach. It also includes an extensive bibliography for further reading and consultation, according to the authors. (PR)
