Health Minister Renward Wells outside Cabinet yesterday. Photo: Donovan McIntosh/Tribune Staff
By LEANDRA ROLLE
Tribune Staff Reporter
lrolle@tribunemedia.net
DESPITE calls for stricter COVID-19 measures, Health Minister Renward Wells insisted yesterday the government has no plans to reimpose another COVID-19 lockdown to fight the current surge of infections.
He said officials are instead relying on vaccinations and public adherence to the health measures to bring rising infection rates under control.
This comes as the Progressive Liberal Party said it is putting its drive-in election rallies on hold due to the surge in coronavirus infections.
“My understanding at this point in time is that there isn’t a recommendation for stricter measures other than the recommendation for the Bahamian people to continue to adhere to the measures that are in place,” Mr Wells said before going to a Cabinet meeting yesterday.
“The EOC (Emergency Operating Centre) is going to be meeting again tomorrow, Wednesday, where all of the data is going to be looked at again and obviously, recommendations will come out of the EOC meeting and based on those recommendations we have been a very responsive and responsible government in how we have sought to respond to our nation’s circumstances.”
This comes as the third wave of the COVID-19 crisis intensifies.
One top doctor at Princess Margaret Hospital recently described the state of the public healthcare system as being on the brink of collapse. Last week, a local daily also reported that Doctors Hospital is “out of space” and “out of staff” and has reached the point of choosing which patient is placed on a ventilator.
But even as the pandemic worsens, the government has resisted implementing strict restrictions.
According to Mr Wells yesterday, this decision is partially linked to the arrival of vaccines which, he says, points to the way out of the pandemic.
“We have not had a lockdown since we’ve gotten the vaccines in country,” the health minister told reporters. “Now remember, during the first and second wave, the real silver bullet that we had was to lockdown folks among their own family or friends to seek to break the chains of transmission of this virus.
“It was the surest way and that’s why lockdowns took place over the incubation period which was fourteen days. Sometimes we went two incubation periods of 14 days, which is 28, a month. We now have the elixir which ails us which is we have vaccines in country, and we have a plethora of vaccines,”Mr Wells added.
“If you don’t want AstraZeneca, you could get Pfizer. If you don’t want Pfizer, you could get Johnson and Johnson so the Bahamian people have the elixir what ails us as a people and the reason why we have not moved in that direction because we’re expecting that the health protocols along with vaccinations will bring the numbers down to where we can continue to move forward as a society.”
Mr Wells also said he is hopeful more Bahamians will get vaccinated after the US Food and Drug Administration issued its full approval of the Pfizer vaccine.
As of August 21, 55,291 people have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19, while 76,174 people have received one shot.
In a statement yesterday, PLP Leader Philip “Brave” Davis acknowledged the rise in COVID-19 hospital cases and deaths as he explained why his party is putting drive-in rallies on hold. He noted that doctors and nurses have been sounding the alarm that there is no more room in hospitals.
“We are extremely frustrated that the government did not do more to prepare for a Delta surge in our country,” Mr Davis said.
He said a series of bad decisions have left the country “among the worst off” in the region.
He said the PLP has a 10-point COVID-19 action plan that can be viewed on its website, plpbahamas.org.
Comments
birdiestrachan 2 years, 8 months ago
Mr: Wells is speaking again. he had gone very silent. because he did not put those names
in. but he knew they were on the list. He was exposed,
Only a real fool would believe anything he or the doc has to say. masterful liars indeed.
baclarke 2 years, 8 months ago
I think the government is doing the right thing by not imposing any more lockdowns. They would only hurt the economy and provide temporary relief, if any, to the country. However, they need to enforce more local testing at ALL gatherings. Of particular note are restaurants and other establishments with dining. These are natural locations for masks to come off and the virus to spread. Currently these establishments DO NOT require testing for vaccinated persons which is utter nonsense. This is but one example. However, I also agree that the future of the Bahamas is at the hands of the people. Follow protocols. I am super tired of encountering persons, especially vaccinated persons, in public who feel as if they don't need to wear there mask around you, and want to come and talk right up in ya face. Keep your distance and wear your masks please. The mask only makes sense if everyone is wearing it....
ohdrap4 2 years, 8 months ago
I became tired of telling people not to sneak up on me at the food store line.
So I keep the trolley behind me to prevent people getting close.
Then they ask me to move the trolley. I just say "I am not finished and I am keeping social distance. Call the manager if you would like."
ohdrap4 2 years, 8 months ago
Lockdowns are a bandaid. They only mask the reality, and the disease starts as soon as it opens up. that is like those people who go to th dentist for a root canal and do not return to finish because it no longer hurts, and also to avoid paying the bill. I knew someone who died like that because the infection went to her brain
carltonr61 2 years, 8 months ago
People are tired of disinformation being spread by FMN and PAHO that suggests once the nation becomes vaccinated health returns, while on the contrary global results have proven that after massive vaccinations 100% infections follow. We had four months heads up lead on this scientific data. So what other outcome did we expect? Minnis is still wondering how he stepped in dog do do. The CDC ranking Bahamian destination as level four took the power out of Wells mouth to beg for pity and bear with or this last never-ending sorry but for our own good, and future of The Bahamas - lock-down.Even though our nurses castigated Competent ignorant orders to allow tourists in without being tested. While the CDC was crying over data that showed vaccinated spreading to others and catching Covid Minnis was ordering vaccinated to party.
John 2 years, 8 months ago
Apparently this administration has hit a brick wall on how t manage its tourism and its borders inn light of the fact that the US now has skyrocketing numbers of nee Corona cases and deaths. And Florida had the largest increase in both new cases and deaths yet government has issued no advisory or restrictions to persons traveling to and from that state. It is understandable that they don’t want further disruptions to the tourism industry, so are they going to sit back anf and let the country burn?
John 2 years, 8 months ago
Too many in the Bahamian population are now exposed to tourists coming into the country with their status unknown. Vaccines alone is not the solution as these people people apparently who are vaccinated are taking the virus into the broader community and into their homes. So unless everyone they come in contact with us also vaccinated that is ineffective. When the pandemic first began, some doctors and other frontline workers were renting apartments and finding ways to avoid interacting with family members on a daily basis. Now tourists can walk into the country and go anywhere Open to the public. The country has been made to vulnerable for a great disaster.
whogothere 2 years, 8 months ago
Meanwhile in India natural immunity appears to be paying off... fancy that..
https://apple.news/ADqMy741_SkyvKXF_1...">https://apple.news/ADqMy741_SkyvKXF_1...
John 2 years, 8 months ago
Not only India but all countries that have low or no vaccinations. The vaccines turn the vaccinated into super spreaders so imagine what will happen when they start giving third doses and increasing antibodies in the vaccinated 20 fold. What beast is this that has been unleashed
ThisIsOurs 2 years, 8 months ago
"We now have the elixir which ails us which is we have vaccines in country, and we have a plethora of vaccines,”Mr Wells added."
More dangerous than COVID.
Mr Wells must be the most enthusiastic prolific spreader of poor information. This week he is messaging to the Bahamian public that the vaccines we have are the "elixir" for all that ails us and we have a "plethora" of vaccines.
Dr Minnis must have bet his election chances on the vaccination rollout. It must be why he called election when he did. At this point it's the only thing he can hold on to. Unfortunately because its become political, their messaging is overly optimistic,... dangerous when life and death is in the balance
One, we have 450,000 people. Two, 250k is 55% of the population 3. Israel has been signaling for months that full vaccination is not an "elixir". 4. Israel signaled that even after vaccination the vulnerable still died. 5. The Bahamas has a 60% obesity rate, obesity is a marker for vulnerability. 6. In Israel, the deaths in the fully vaccinated vulnerable started 5 months after full vaccination. 7. This week the Bahamas heard of its first death in a fully vaccinated individual at a time described as "months" after vaccination, 5 or less "months"? 8. Noone has given us the data, we're walking blind.
Bobsyeruncle 2 years, 8 months ago
Unfortunately, most of the fully vaccinated vulnerable in Israel who died, were already bedridden, immobile, unhealthy and already requiring nursing care. I've still yet to find statistics on the number of deaths in fully vaccinated people in Israel, or any other country for that matter.
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