#BTColumn – Proceed with extreme caution

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

by Rev Guy Hewitt

Last Thursday, Barbados breathed a collective sigh of relief as we were included on the United Kingdom’s COVID19 Green List. However, we must proceed with extreme caution regarding the inflow of visitors from Britain.

On the previous Amber List persons travelling from Barbados were required to quarantine at home (or in the place they were staying) for 10 days and take COVID-19 tests on day 2 and day 8. Now on the Green List, passengers to Britain simply have to take a COVID-19 test before travelling and another one after arrival. No quarantine is required.

However, this ease of travel restrictions, which is anticipated to increase the volume of passenger flows between the two countries, may come at a cost. The rapid rise of the highly transmissible India-originating Delta coronavirus variant strain in the United Kingdom has put countries in Europe, North America and elsewhere on watch.

The rapid global spread of the Delta variant has forced a growing number of countries to reimpose lockdowns and other public health restrictions. Fears are rising that the more contagious variant will hamper global efforts to contain the pandemic. In the United Kingdom, COVID-19 cases are again starting to rise exponentially, and their already exhausted National Health Service (NHS) is seeing a rise in hospitalisations.

Barbados should not underestimate this variant, which now accounts for 99 per cent of new COVID-19 cases in the UK.

It is roughly 60 per cent more transmissible than the original Alpha variant and is somewhat more resistant to vaccines. A Public Health England (PHE) study showed 29 per cent of the 42 people who recently died after catching the Delta variant new strain had BOTH vaccinations. A PHE technical briefing on June 25 indicated that figure had risen to 43 per cent (50 of 117), with the majority (60 per cent) having received at least one dose.

It is significant that the UK’s experience of COVID-19 has often been a harbinger of things to come for other countries including the US and Caribbean. This has proved particularly true in Barbados as we watched towards the end of 2020, the current regime followed the money and not the science with COVID-19.

The too-short, two-day quarantine and not locking down when the medical community signalled an alert, came at a cost to lives and the economy. Further, when the crisis hit, rather than identify overseas visitors as the main perpetrators, they blamed everyday Barbadians for the community spread.

‘Brandy & Punanny’ was not the villain and we Bajans were not ‘patient zero.’ Due to the spread of the Delta variant, Brits are now banned from travelling to 58 countries including: in Europe: Germany, The Netherlands and Switzerland; in North America: Canada & the US; in Central America: Argentina, Brazil, Panama, & Suriname; in Africa: Kenya & South Africa; in Asia: China, India, Israel, Japan, & Singapore; in the Caribbean: Bahamas, Bermuda, St Kitts & Nevis, Trinidad & Tobago; and South Pacific: Australia & New Zealand.

Persons from the UK will only be allowed to enter these countries if they are citizens, permanent residents, or an immediate family member of a citizen, but with a few other exceptions. Barbados is encouraged to be vigilant and this time to follow the science and not the money. May the Lord continue to be the people’s guide.

Guy Hewitt announced his candidature for the leadership of the DLP. He currently lives and works between Barbados and Florida and can be contacted at guyhewitt@gmail.com