There seems to be no foreseeable end to COVID-19. Nations such as the UK have recently again imposed lockdowns after relaxing some of the COVID measures for some months. But while the number of infections continue to rise in Guyana and people are dying, we are no closer to a lockdown than we were eight months ago. Are we being held hostage by our fears or is there a real threat that as more Guyanese become infected many more will die? If thousands of people become severely ill, are we equipped to competently treat them or will our medical system be overwhelmed and most people will die?
Many Guyanese believe that the government has failed the people in their approach to COVID-19. With more than 4300 cases and more than 130 deaths, the government has come under criticism for opening the airports, lessening the curfew hours, granting permission for gyms to operate at 50% capacity and preparations to reopen schools for some grades.
But while some have expressed their disappointment and fears, there are sections of the society that are happy with the relaxed measures. The dilemma that we are grappling with is that we miss the old order of world. We miss the freedom to be without the fear in the air threatening us. We miss being unmasked in public. As the coronavirus continues to spread, people will continue to mourn the deaths of their lives pre-COVID. They will continue to hold on to the hope that one day this new order will appear like the old order.
We can indeed place some of the blame on the government for a seemingly lack of an effective plan to tackle COVID-19. But regardless of government’s role, the greater responsibility lies with the people. While the government can impose measures to restrict our movements, we must limit our risk by being responsible.
We must elaborate on what personal irresponsibility has done in the spread of COVID in Guyana. Whether it is that some believe that the virus is not real, or that
the numbers are fake, or that the tests are tainted, or
that people are not really dying from the coronavirus
but other diseases, or that wearing masks are a form
of oppression rather than protection or that the government does not care, people are becoming sick and some are dying.
The myths and truths about COVID-19 are so muddled. Early on it was said that COVID would not be a big threat in tropical countries because of the sun. But look at us where for months the sun and the heat that accompanies it has been threatening our sanity. Look at Brazil. Will we say that we are trapped in some illusion and therefore what we are experiencing is not real?
A couple of months ago I learned that in some of our Indigenous communities there was a belief that consuming 70% alcohol could prevent the spread of COVID. As absurd as it is, this is another example of what some our people believe. It is such myths that we must continue to disprove because they are hurting our communities.
Our communities continue to suffer. Not only because people are becoming sick but because people are stressed. The psychological effects of COVID-19 are probably having more devastating effects on people. Many people have lost their jobs, people are living on the gift of waking up every day and promises, children are frustrated, many are being left behind, many are being abused; the threads of hopelessness are running throughout the country with no end in sight. The government has launched COVID relief where families will receive $25,000, but even with that, there is controversy about who qualifies. $25,000 is not a lot of money, but for many poor families it will be of great help. But what next when the families finish that money?
Years ago, I used to read prophesies about the destruction of the world. I used to think that the destruction would not occur in my lifetime. I used to think that by the time mankind fully unmasked and revealed how inhuman we have become, I would be long gone. But I was wrong. We are there. Even in a time when we are watching our brothers and sisters die all over the world, we continue to destroy each other. Many are not taking the time to be quiet, to reflect and remember that regardless of how powerful we are, we have the same destination, which is death. We can nonchalantly make statements that people will die because of COVID whether we continue business as usual or not, because we do not believe those people would be us or our loved ones. How foolish and haughty when we are all mortal.
Most of the COVID deaths recently were the elders. I found myself experiencing a sense of loss and hopelessness a few days ago. Strong as I am and as much as I am managing to take care of my physical and mental health during this time, even I have those moments of sadness. None of the people that have died are my relatives or people I know. As a matter of fact, there is only one person I know who has tested positive for COVID and thankfully she is still with us. But our elders are close to my heart because it is on their backs that we stand. Without them, there would be no us. And with so many dying recently, I feel like the elderly are the lambs to the slaughter because they are the most vulnerable group and it seems that some people do not care if they live or die. Their lives matter and they should not be put at risk of contracting the coronavirus as if it would be any less of tragedy than if they died because of their old age. Dying in one’s sixties, seventies, eighties or even nineties does not mean that there was not more life to be lived. No matter how old we become, most of us wish to live as long as we possibly can and most of us would desire to die a natural death rather than be victims of the irresponsibility of others or this virus.
I repeat, there seems to be no foreseeable end of COVID-19. Many are placing their hopes in whatever vaccine is being developed. However, the only vaccine that will heal our world is for us to confront the evil that exists. We need healing of the world that would result in equality, peace, righteousness and justice. COVID-19 will eventually end but it will not be the end of the threats to mankind’s survival. We are our greatest enemies and perhaps eventually we will obliterate ourselves.
