“It is not that I am not taking this thing seriously but what people want me to do? Yes I could stay home and then me and me children guh starve, is that what you want me to do?” she asked almost angrily.
This mother of three was walking and vending peanuts and she approached me to patronize her business and I took the opportunity to ask her if she was not fearful of the deadly novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak.
It was just hours after the news had broken that we had recorded the second death to the disease—a man at the age of 38
“Wha you want me to do?” she asked me and this time it was done quietly and almost pleadingly.
“Why you on the road? You don’t have children too and why you not at home?” she continued.
Those were fair questions, if I am going to ask her about being on the streets she had a right to ask me the same. I indicated that I was just picking up an item before returning to my place of employment.
“But you have to work right? Well is the same for me I have to come and try to make a dollar because if not I not sure how me and me children eating tomorrow. So I leave them home and I here trying to hustle,” she told me.
“I see people saying ‘Stay at home, stay at home,’ and I know is a good thing but what about me and more other people who can’t afford to stay at home. Who will help we when we have nothing to eat? Is every day I does do this, only Saturday I does don’t come out sometimes but most times is every day.
“I does start early and try to finish early but now people hardly buying so I does have to be on the road longer but I trying, I trying to keep safe and just praying and hoping for the best,” she further said.
I understood what she was saying. Even for professionals like me, we would much rather remain at home but the bread and butter issue comes into play for us at well. It is a difficult choice we all have to make and as she rightly said do our best to remain safe and “pray and hope for the best.”
At least she had a bottle with rubbing alcohol which she said she uses to help to sanitise her hand and face.
“This the most I can afford and now you not even getting it really and even it there it too dare and sometimes I have to think about buying that or buying something to cook, that is the truth of the matter,” she said.
I told her I understood what she was saying but I just felt the need to ask her if she was aware of the disease and if she was keeping safe.
“I understand why you ask to but it is just at first I get a lil vex because you know I don’t want you to judge me. I not out here because I want to be out here, I want to be home with me children but I have to come out here and sell,” she said, shaking her head sadly.
She later told me that she has three children and that their father are no longer a part of their lives.
“But I don’t want you to feel sorry for we or anything you know, I just telling you so you could understand. I wouldn’t say we does punish because we don’t starve and we have a roof over we head. But it is not easy and the way how I see this corno thing going it messing with me head.
“And the children not in school but I still have to find things fuh dem to eat, so it not easy me sister leh me tell it not easy. I don’t know what will happen in deh long run but I just taking it one day at a time, one day at a time meh sister,” she said in a resigned tone.
We parted company shortly after, me returning to my office and she continuing to sell nuts.
I know I have addressed this issue in this space before but I believe that more needs to be said. Many persons on our shores are not taking COVID-19 seriously and they don’t not believe they are at risk. We are all at risk, and we all should be scared and as much as we can, stay at home. Take the necessary precautions, sanitise, clean, wash your hands all the times and just do what you can to keep yourself safe and others safe as well. As was indicated the virus doesn move, it is people who are infected and move around, transporting it from one point to another.
There will come a point though when the authorities, and I know they are almost overwhelmed, but they will have to put some system in place to assist the poor among us. As my sister indicated, many cannot afford to stay at home, they have to work. We see what is happening in places like India where the poor are suffering because of the lock down. A lock down may be inevitable if we really want to fight this pandemic but we have to find a way to take care of our poor and vulnerable.
Remember, people may be sick with the virus for 1 to 14 days before developing symptoms. The most common symptoms of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) are fever, tiredness, and dry cough. Difficulty with breathing are experienced in severe cases. But in some cases the disease can be serious and even fatal. Older people, and people with other medical conditions (such as asthma, diabetes, or heart disease), may be more vulnerable to becoming severely ill.
Thousands have died, over a million are infected and the entire world is affected..
Let us do what we can to stay safe, help where you can and those with the power remember the poor and vulnerable among us, they can’t stay safe without help.
