While many Guyanese are continuing to abide by social distancing measures to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19), some are living life as per normal, including hosting family get-togethers, drinking with others at bars and defying the national curfew.
In the village of Belle West, at Canal Number Two, some residents are hosting parties, which sometimes go way past the midnight hour, despite the 6pm curfew, with visitors from both inside and outside of the village.
Several of those residents have since claimed that COVID-19 is a hoax that was fabricated by the government to stall the elections results. Others just think it is plain deception, including some of the elderly people.
Taxi drivers that operate in the village usually carry four passengers in the back seat of their vehicles and two passengers in the front seat. They are now transporting three in the back and one in the front seat, although government measures prescribe that they should be only transporting half the number of persons the vehicle could carry.
A resident of Grove, East Bank Demerara said that while the streets in his area are not as busy there are still rum shops that remain open. He further said that he witnessed persons from his village sitting together having their regular drink. Only one man from among the group, it was said, wore a mask, although he kept it pushed above his nose while he drank.
Meanwhile, a teacher who resides at Patentia on the West Bank of Demerara said that this past Saturday she saw someone within her community hosting a party. The woman noted that not only were persons not obeying the necessary social distancing guidelines but residents were kept up into the wee hours of the morning owing to the loud music. “Some people are taking precautions but some still say there’s nothing like COVID and what has to happen will happen. It’s sad,” she lamented.
Over at Pouderoyen, also on the West Bank, a resident shared that persons in his community have no respect for social distancing rules or the curfew, while noting that he has seen persons walking along his street after 6 pm.
There are also those who believe the conspiracy theories that the 5G technology is what is responsible for the existence and the transmission of the virus. Several persons have gone as far as sharing such conspiracies on their social media, including prominent individuals within the local entertainment arena.
While shopkeepers have taken measures to protect themselves and workers, some customers still refuse to keep their distance from each other when purchasing groceries. Instead they stand side- by side waiting to be sold.
When the measures were initially announced, police patrolled these villages after six in the evenings. However, less patrols have been seen in the various areas as some persons have since returned to socialising with family, friends and neighbours.
