Embracing responsible action

At a Ministry of Health press conference on Friday, health officials advised that the workplace is a hot spot for COVID-19.

In his national address on Sunday, Prime Minister Dr. Hubert Minnis again asked employers and employees to rigorously follow and adhere to the workplace guidelines agreed by health officials, the Bahamas Chamber of Commerce and Employers Confederation, and other entities.

Those guidelines call for a degree of responsibility on the part of employers and employees on ways to prevent COVID-19 in the workplace and how to address it if cases arise.

Employees are asked to stay home if they feel ill and to quarantine if they have been exposed to COVID-19.

Over the course of months, workplaces, both in the private and public sectors, have closed for deep cleaning, after cases arose.

Still, there is a need for a greater degree of responsibility on the part of residents of New Providence to get COVID-19 under control.

Between September 17 and October 3, there were 500 total cases on New Providence. The Bahamas has recorded a total of 4,452 cases (3,308 on New Providence) with 2,375 active cases nationally.

“We must recommit on New Providence to full compliance with the rules because the current elevated number of cases is straining our hospital and healthcare systems,” Minnis said.

“…Our best and most effective measure to control the spread of COVID-19 is our individual and collective behavior and responsibility.”

Unfortunately, individual action is not enough to stop COVID-19 unless enough individuals are taking action and behaving in a responsible fashion.

Yesterday, we learned that Cabinet Minister Romauld Ferreira has unfortunately tested positive for COVID-19. We wish him a full and speedy recovery.

The Nassau Guardian reported on Thursday that Ferreira was at Cabinet last Tuesday — five days after his address to the nation from the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM), which was attended by someone who subsequently tested positive for COVID-19.

Last Sunday, an official in Ferreira’s ministry advised individuals who were at the OPM event that they had possibly been exposed.

After being notified about the possible exposure, St. Barnabas MP Shanendon Cartwright, who attended the minister’s event, went to get a test on Monday and learnt last Tuesday that he is positive for COVID-19. This was the responsible action to take.

When he learnt he was positive, Cartwright spoke openly to the media and assured that his office, The Bahamas Public Parks and Public Beaches Authority, will be closed for deep cleaning and that he was in isolation.

Ferreira, meanwhile, refused to speak with us last week when we sought to question him about his presence at Cabinet last Tuesday, despite the fact that an individual who had attended his event days earlier had tested positive. 

We understand that on the weekend past, the minister informed colleagues that he tested positive for COVID-19.

As a result, government ministers, one by one, were tested yesterday. The Cabinet Office claimed the prime minister did not have direct contact with Ferreira. What the Cabinet Office should have done yesterday is confirm whether the prime minister has tested negative. 

That Ferreira attended Cabinet on Tuesday has angered some colleagues. One of them remarked to The Nassau Guardian, “That was complete madness.”

In speaking for the need for responsible action, the prime minister rightly observed on Sunday that some of us are not taking this pandemic seriously.

Reports and videos of large Junkanoo rush-outs, socializing and large gatherings show that many have let their guards down, he said.

One such rush-out occurred last week after the funeral of prominent Junkanooer Dr. Philip Thompson. The prime minister attended the funeral service.

Minnis had previously urged against the Junkanoo rush-out. We do not know whether he realized one was taking place after he left the church.

Many who participated were not wearing masks during that rush-out and in at least one video, police officers were seen diverting traffic around the event and walking casually through the crowd. The commissioner of police said no permission had been given for any rush-out.

After a PLP event last Wednesday night to celebrate opposition leader Philip Brave Davis’ recovery from COVID-19 and to welcome Golden Isles MP Vaughn Miller into the party, there was also a Junkanoo rush-out, even as reporters were speaking to Davis, who claimed the rush-out was not a part of the official program.

These matters exemplify that an individual can be as careful, as paranoid and as conservative as possible about his or her own health, but irresponsible action on the part of another person could place many people at risk.

This is a message our leaders must not only continue to tout, but by their actions they should truly show that they embrace it.

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source https://thenassauguardian.com/embracing-responsible-action/