Dear Editor,
The law is clear — as long as you come out in public, you must have a mask on. There are still too many Guyanese who breach this simple law. As the Christmas holidays rapidly approach, we must work together, resolutely that no one is out in public without properly wearing a mask.
As I have been doing for some time now, and, as other prominent Guyanese have been doing, I joined members of the Guyana Police Force, members from the Police Constabulary and members of the Block ‘8’ Mon Repos, East Coast Demerara Community Policing Group to spread COVID-19 awareness and to ensure everyone who might be out at the Mon Repos market or travelling in minibuses have their masks on.
The effort of the youths from the Community Policing Group must be replicated every day by other groups. As the Christmas season gets nearer and people increase their shopping, this effort is needed even more.
I therefore urge non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and all persons who could help, let us spread the message, let us encourage our people to follow the rules.
We must not leave home without a mask. We must sanitize and wash our hands frequently, and we must keep our distance. Unfortunately, as people come out of their homes, these simple actions to stop the spread of COVID-19 are still largely ignored.
I would like first to thank those members of the public who have adhered to the rules and had their masks on. I was encouraged that more than 60 percent of the people had their masks on correctly and seemed determined to keep their masks on.
Another 25 percent of the people had masks on, but were wearing their masks wrong, preferring to keep it around their necks, on their chin or below the nose. Even more worrying, about 15 percent of the people were out with no masks, or had masks in their pockets or handbags.
Still many of them knew what the right thing was and many reached to get their masks before we got to them, showing they knew that they must have their masks on. This tells me, however, that we need to do a better job to make people understand the reasons the masks must be worn at all times once you leave home.
I was appalled that many parents brought children out with no masks. This is irresponsible.
All, but one, minibuses, we stopped as they passed by the market had people in them without masks.
More significant is that many drivers and conductors were the most prominent of the persons who were breaching the law. The law is clear — everyone in public transportation must have a mask on.
Both in the market and in the shops, no social distancing is being practiced. There are no public sanitization stations to assist people.
The COVI-CURB campaign emphasizes the gentle moral persuasion strategy. I was forced to have the Police Officers issue warnings to at least two persons who operated stalls in the market who refused to put their masks on and, for one mini-bus, to have a passenger leave the bus because he refused to wear a mask.
Stall holders and shops need to ensure that everyone selling must have their masks on and they should have hand sanitizers available for themselves and their customers. I urge shop owners and stall operators to not permit anyone without a mask to shop at their location.
Similarly, I urge all customers not to shop at places where the operators are not wearing masks. We must remember that it is not only people who could transmit the virus. The virus can live for many hours on vegetables and other items purchased from markets and from shops.
The more people coming in to the stalls and shops without masks and without proper sanitary practice, the more likely the things one purchases could be contaminated. Thus, my caution to people — do not shop at places where owners permit people to come in without masks.
And remember, even if we want to take a chance, what right do any of us have to bring COVID-19 home to our loved ones? But that is precisely what we do when we refuse to properly wear a mask.
Yours faithfully,
Dr. Leslie Ramsammy
