Caution needed during holiday season

Pan American Health Organisation Assistant Director, Dr. Jarbas Barbosa recently cautioned that holiday season gatherings and travel involve risks and people should therefore follow the guidance of national and local health authorities, to make the holidays as safe as possible during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The reminder was sent that during a pandemic, there is no such thing as a risk-free holiday season, since every gathering, every shopping trip, and every travel plan increases the chances of spreading the virus. Thus, it is critical that everyone continues to practice the public health measures that are known to be effective in controlling the spread of the virus, such as wearing a mask in public, including in the presence of persons from other households and keeping a safe distance from others.

Indeed, here in Barbados, this message needs to be shared with the public, even as Barbadians look to celebrate Independence Day and move into the eagerly anticipated yuletide season. We need to hear the health authorities sending these messages out on a wider scale. Yes, we have heard officials of the COVID-19 Monitoring Unit indicating that they will be monitoring various parties, fetes and gatherings on the whole for the Independence weekend, but we have heard nothing really about how persons should conduct themselves and what they should be mindful of, as they seek to get involved in various celebrations or even go about their Christmas shopping.

There seems to be a belief that since there is no official word of community spread in Barbados, all is well. However, locals must not throw caution to the wind, but they should ensure that they follow all the health and safety protocols, to be on the safe side.

However, we do have some key information from the Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO), which is indeed useful. PAHO advocates that people should avoid the 3Cs: spaces that are closed, crowded or involve close contact with others. They should also wash their hands often.

PAHO and WHO recommend that countries experiencing widespread transmission of the virus should seriously consider postponing or reducing mass gatherings. This is not the time to be hosting any large gatherings. Each country, city and community should base decisions about hosting public events on the latest available data – especially data that show where the virus is spreading and whether health systems have enough capacity to keep up with cases.

Officials go further by noting that even smaller indoor gatherings can be especially risky, because they bring together groups of people, young and old, from different households, who may not all be adhering to the same infection prevention measures.

Dr. Barbosa warned, “They should be held outside when possible, and participants should wear masks and maintain social distance. If held indoors, limiting group size and choosing well-ventilated areas can help reduce exposure. With respect to travel, people should be cautious, and the safest option is to stay home, he said.

“PAHO does not recommend relying on laboratory tests for travellers. Yet we’ve seen countries across our region and throughout the world place testing at the heart of their travel policies. This cannot guarantee safe travel or eliminate the risks related to infected travellers, and resources can be used in other ways yielding a greater public health impact,” Barbosa said.

Certainly there is much to draw from, where this advice is concerned.