As COVID-19 cases in Guyana continue to rise, Minister of Health Dr Frank Anthony is cautioning citizens to exercise personal responsibility in deciding whether to attend events even if they are approved by the authorities.
Anthony made these remarks during a recent interview with Stabroek News, where questions were raised about the local health authority’s approval of a number of events over the Christmas season.
While the minister spoke recently about work places having stricter measures to curb the growing spread of the virus, a number of persons have pointed out that the government allowed what may have been considered super spreader events, which included the opening of the Christmas village along Main Street, which saw scores of persons turn out nightly, and the controversial Guyana Football Federation (GFF) and Kashif and Shanghai (K&S) Futsal final.
In response, Anthony stated that everyone needs to be responsible during the pandemic and that personal responsibility should lead persons to adhere to the COVID-19 measures.
“So not because there is an event that you necessarily have to go and even if you go, you don’t have to breach the COVID protocols. And even if you go to some place and you see that people are not adhering to the measures, you don’t have to join, you have options,” he said.
He reiterated that if more persons practice personal responsibility, the recent significant increase in cases would not be occurring. He then noted that unfortunately citizens are not taking the COVID-19 situation seriously.
This newspaper also inquired whether the ministry will make a move back to some of the stricter COVID-19 measures as compared to those currently in place. Anthony did not state whether this is being considered.
He, however, noted that with the Omicron variant suspected to the cause of the recent surge in cases, a shorter infectious period is also anticipated. On average, he said, that an infectious period takes five days and once persons observe those days in isolation they will be able to return safely to work.
