#BTSpeakingOut – USA is not being unreasonable

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed by this author are their own and do not represent the official position of the Barbados Today Inc.

The US State Department/CDC advice against travel to Barbados is indeed unfortunate but one surely must consider it reasonable.

Barbados after a stellar effort let down its guard at Christmas and Covid 19 took the caseload from 302 to now over 3700 and from 7 deaths to 44 all in about 14 weeks. A segment of the society has stated they will refuse to be vaccinated, opting instead for quick advice or other shaman nonsense.

The lesson of the Christmas events is apparently being rolled out today but according to these pages, people are not coming forth to be tested as part of the contact tracing of these 85 persons associated with QEH.

My understanding is rather than vaccinate as many as possible to a single dose as most countries are with the second dose to follow in 12-16 weeks emphasis on the latest round is second doses to the 70000 who have received the first dose.

Then we have apparently a significant group who think a quack doctor in the US pushing vitamins and zinc will keep them safe and it will not.

They combined with those who are generally anti vaxers and those who just refuse to educate themselves to allay their fears of the vaccine add up to a significant group.

So in a population of 290 000 if you have 33% who won’t participate then every visitor is at risk. That said I would not let any visitor into the country who cannot show proof of at least one dose of vaccine.

So while hard on the economy, you do have to respect the underlying causes just as we have respected restrictions Barbados places in its country as being in its best interest.

The solution? Get everyone vaccinated, carry on testing, mask-wearing, etc. and bar entry to anyone who is not vaccinated and we will flock back to this lovely place.

Alex Currie North Saanich BC