Calm heads needed amid Ebola watch

With the wave of death, illness and economic hardship wrought by the COVID pandemic still fresh in the minds of many in Barbados, some are not surprised at hysterics unfolding in recent days with the rapid spread of the Ebola virus.

What is desired is a calm, rational response to the disease’s spread, rather than fear, panic or prejudice. The Ministry of Health and Wellness has given the country instructions and measured guidance. It is now important that the public follows the facts rather than emotion or harmful stereotyping.

Health officials have made it clear that the risk of Ebola reaching Barbados remained low. At the same time, they have also stressed the importance of preparedness and vigilance. We believe this is the correct approach.

Public health threats should never be ignored, but neither should they become an excuse for irrational fear or discrimination.

We make this point in light of the inaugural arrival of the Nigeria-based Air Peace airline, which brought scores of visitors to the island, mainly from Nigeria and Ghana, Chief Medical Officer Dr Kenneth George explained that Barbados already had systems in place to monitor and assess travellers entering the island. Airport personnel have been briefed, surveillance measures strengthened, and health officials remain in constant communication with regional and international agencies such as CARPHA and the World Health Organisation.

These actions, he contended, were those of a country that was taking sensible precautions while avoiding hysteria.

In an age of conspiracies and alternative facts, Barbadians have been advised to listen carefully to the scientific facts being shared. Ebola is not spread casually. It is transmitted through close contact with bodily fluids from an infected person who is already showing symptoms. It is not like some airborne illnesses where people can spread the disease without knowing they are infected.

Important also is the reminder that simple hygiene practices are among the best forms of protection. Washing hands regularly, maintaining sanitary food preparation habits, and avoiding close contact with visibly ill persons are practical measures that have long protected the island from many infectious diseases. The lessons learned during the COVID-19 pandemic are still relevant today.

Among the most important messages, perhaps, came from Minister of Health and Wellness Senator Lisa Cummins, who warned against stereotyping all Africans or treating the entire continent as a single country.

Too often, discussions about Africa reveal a real lack of understanding about the size, diversity and complexity of this continent. Africa is not a village. It is an extremely large continent, comprising 54 countries, thousands of ethnic groups, numerous languages and vast lands.

The current Ebola cases are limited to three countries: the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda and South Sudan. These nations are located in East and Central Africa, far removed from many other African states.

To put this in perspective, the distance between some African countries is greater than the distance between Barbados and Europe. Yet there are still people who hear an African accent or see an African passport and immediately assume danger. Such thinking is not only inaccurate but unfair.

Barbados has long prided itself on being a welcoming society. Every year we welcome visitors, students, investors and professionals from many parts of the world.

We cannot allow fear to undermine our values or encourage suspicion of people based solely on where they come from or how they sound.

The world has seen before how disease outbreaks can trigger stigma and xenophobia. During COVID-19, there were unfortunate instances globally where people of Asian descent were unfairly blamed or targeted because the virus was first identified in China.

It is also important to remember that Africans themselves are often the frontline victims of these outbreaks and the first responders fighting to contain them.

Doctors, nurses, scientists and public health officials across Africa continue to work courageously under very difficult circumstances to protect lives and prevent wider spread.

The sensible course for Barbados is not complacency nor panic. Barbadians should remain informed, practise good hygiene, cooperate with public health guidance and trust the systems established by health authorities. At the same time, we must not encourage fearmongering and social media misinformation.