EDITORIAL: Sitting ducks, we are not
It has been just over two weeks since this country reported its first cases of the novel coronavirus, also referred to as COVID-19 and those weeks, many would argue, seem more like months.
We first heard there were two cases and by Monday of this week the count was up to 34 and yesterday, it was 45. As the numbers have risen, Government has taken steps to help stem the spread of the virus, but it persists. And not because it is a living, breathing organism that is able to move about on its own, but because we, who are hosts to the virus are helping to spread it.
Since Saturday night a daily curfew from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. has been instituted and most businesses have closed their doors. There are a few exceptions to the shutdown like supermarkets, pharmacies and essential services, but for the most part the majority of Barbadians should be home. But it seems a lot of people think it is just a vacation and they can run as many errands as they like, go to the beach and socialise with friends.
This flawed mindset and the continued failure to practice the principles of social distancing - keeping three to six feet apart in public - is what will likely push our cases up and up. But we cannot afford for that to happen. Already the country’s economy is feeling the pinch, tourism has undoubtedly been dealt a blow and if we are to be honest, we would admit that many of the businesses, especially in the micro, small and medium entreprises sector that have had to suspend operations, are not likely to reopen.
As we battle coronavirus, we have to recognise that there are other threats on the horizon. In a mere two months we will usher in the hurricane season and if this one is anything like those of the last few years, we can expect above-average activity. While Barbados has been spared serious impact from such systems, we have seen the destructions caused by the likes of Irma, Maria and Dorian, which left several of our neighbours devastated.
So while we look to ensure we have food supplies should the country have to institute a stricter shutdown because of COVID-19, have we been buying those supplies with the hurricane season in mind as well? Remember, it is just a few months away. We note too that with greater focus on pushing agricultural production to shore up our food supplies should the coronavirus pandemic affect food imports, we must ensure that we are investing in climate-smart agriculture or all our efforts would be for nought. While we may not be able to defend against a significant weather event, we can focus on improving productivity and faster recovery, should disaster strike.
A week or so ago Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley reflecting on the impact of COVID-19 on our economy, said that anticipated growth of 1.5 percent was looking bleak, and to use her words ‘We have gone back to the start line’. Imagine then if a hurricane too was to hit - what would happen to our island nation? It is simple -we would be knocked completely out of the race. So while we have no control over the magnitude or strength of such systems, as a people we still have a part to play, ensuring that our gutters, drains and watercourses are cleared and that are homes are secure.
On another note, as the rains come more in the weeks ahead, we need also to ensure that we are doing all that is necessary to prevent mosquitoes from breeding and causing further havoc with diseases like dengue, chikungunya and zika. We can ill afford to have further pressure placed on the healthcare system, so we must work to prevent those pesky insects (who know little of social distancing) from causing more pain and suffering.
A word to the wise is enough.