Dear Editor,
I pen this letter out of desperation. The coronavirus COVID-19 has brought some of the most powerful countries in the world to their knees. We are learning more about this deadly virus every single day and there is still so much more to learn. It is a new virus so no one has immunity to it, hence why it is spreading like wild fire. The fatality rate is steadily climbing and it does not discriminate. Even young, healthy and fit people are dying! Medical professionals are sacrificing themselves worldwide as personal protective equipment grow scarce.
The downfall of most of these countries is that they were reactive and not proactive. Guyana does not have the luxury to make those same mistakes. It is not the time to reinvent the wheel. Guyana does not have the medical resources to combat an outbreak of this magnitude. We have to act now!
Educating the population on proper hygiene and social distancing is one thing but getting them to adhere to it is another thing. We have to know our people. Most Guyanese will not follow unless they are mandated to do so. It’s because of this that we need a mandatory lockdown. We need to limit the spread of COVID-19 as much as possible because if we don’t many people will die! We will still have some COVID-19 related deaths with lockdown but it will be nothing in comparison to the deaths that we will have if we continue as is.
I am just a medical doctor and have no experience in running a country. I can only put forward my ideas. The hope is that our real experts can come together and find a way to make a lockdown feasible.
The first thing we need is to have a legitimate declaration made so that Parliament and the Government can be operational. They need access to funds. We all know that we have money available sitting in a bank. We can use this money to help feed our population.
Close all non-essential businesses. Banks can defer loan payments (most are already doing this). Suspend all GWI, GPL and internet bills. Rent should be waived (reduced in the situation where the landlord’s sole income is rent). All low income households to get a monthly allowance for food for at least three months (maybe food stamps). Tax relief. Large companies to continue paying their employees just enough to cover basic needs (this applies to all employees including management).
Persons should only be allowed out to get essential items. Heavy fines/jail time if persons found loitering/congregating. Essential businesses who are not following social distancing guidelines are to be heavily fined. Minibuses are only to transport 5 persons at a time (including the driver) with all windows down. All persons involved heavily fined if they don’t comply. GDF and David G buses to assist with transportation. A curfew should be implemented. Persons only allowed out of their houses from 6am to 6pm. Unless it’s an emergency, heavy fines/jail time if you are found breaking curfew. If you are supposed to be in self isolation/quarantine and you are found outside then you should be charged and fined. Weekly ration drop offs for those in self isolation/quarantine.
Again, these are just a few ideas. If experts get involved then we can definitely find a way to make a lockdown work.
Our only hope of surviving with as many of our people as possible is if we institute a lockdown. A lockdown is also time sensitive so we need to act now!
Yours faithfully,}
Dr. Mikhaila Puran-Xavier