One would have thought that global figures showing 41.3 million cases and counting – and, worse yet, 1.13 million deaths and rising – would be enough to convince any rational human being, regardless of IQ, that COVID-19 is nothing to play with.
And even if that was not enough, the images and videos of patients struggling to breathe, real accounts of frontline workers describing the trauma of dealing with sick patients, and reports from grieving families who were unable to say goodbye to their loved ones who succumbed to the deadly virus, would remind us to do all we can to keep this microscopic enemy in check.
Sadly, it hasn’t. It may not be so for the majority of us but, regrettably, some fail to see the danger in taking unnecessary risks.
The problem is that their ignorance is a hazard to the rest of us.
On Tuesday, Chief Medical Officer Dr Kenneth George took to the airwaves to disclose that some people ordered into quarantine were carelessly not adhering to rules.
He said: “The Ministry has received at least four recent reports of persons, both locals and visitors to the island, leaving the approved quarantine facility without the permission of the Chief Medical Officer.”
A day later, Minister of Health and Wellness Lieutenant Colonel Jeffrey Bostic revealed that one person had been charged and two others were being questioned by police.
Bostic noted: “Fortunately, those persons tested negative on their second test, but that is not the point. The point is that we have protocols and all persons who come to this country, just as if a Barbadian goes to another country, we have to follow the protocols of that country and we expect visitors to follow the protocols that are established by the Ministry of Health and Wellness.”
This reckless behaviour must be condemned, and the reminder from both officials that flouting quarantine rules comes with a heavy price must be emphasised.
Persons in breach of quarantine regulations will, on summary conviction, be subject to a fine of $50 000, imprisonment for one year, or both.
The penalty certainly makes it foolhardy to contemplate taking such a foolish risk. But in any case, people shouldn’t need the threat of prison or a massive fine to act responsibly.
All the information we have from experts about COVID-19 tells us that no one is immune from the impact of the virus.
We are told it is spread from person to person mainly through respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes. These droplets can land in the mouths or noses of people who are nearby, or possibly be inhaled into the lungs. Spread is more likely when people are in close contact with one another (at least six feet). It is also possible that a person can get COVID-19 by touching a surface or object that has the virus on it and then touching their own mouth, nose, or possibly eyes.
It really just takes a single case. So, that visitor or local awaiting test results who opts to break out of quarantine for a breath of fresh air could infect others on the way.
Quarantining isn’t just for the deathly sick, it’s for anyone who could possibly pass COVID-19 on to someone else. It’s about stopping the spread of the pandemic.
Barbados’ success in tackling COVID-19 to date can be attributed to the public’s compliance with the proven methods of reducing the spread of the virus – the wearing of masks, washing and sanitising of hands and surroundings, and physical distancing. Quarantine is no less important.
Those who fail to observe the rules and venture out, for any reason, are putting the lives of everyone with whom they come into contact at risk.
COVID-19 must be treated with the deadly seriousness that it deserves.
