IN acknowledging the spike in COVID-19 cases recently, Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis yesterday chose some curious wording.
He told reporters: “We’re in two pandemics. The vaccinated individuals are now out of the pandemic. The pandemic is finished for the vaccinated individuals. The unvaccinated individuals are still in the pandemic and, therefore, it’s essential for us to be aggressive, of which we’re doing.”
Now, first, his maths seems to be off. That’s still one pandemic, you’re simply in it or you’re not. But more to the point, that’s nonsense.
If you are vaccinated, you can still catch COVID-19. The effects are likely to be reduced, and evidence suggests you are less likely to spread the virus, but you can still catch it. You aren’t out of the pandemic just because you’ve had your jab, and you won’t be until a good many more people have had it too.
You need only look over to England, where the double-jabbed Health Secretary, Sajid Javid, tested positive two days ago for COVID-19, leading to UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson to have to self-isolate as he had been in contact.
On the other hand, there appears to be some interesting lateral thinking going on. Dr Minnis said that some residents in Bimini were being transported to the US aboard the Baleria vessel to receive vaccinations there at the expense of the Bahamian government. Discussions are underway with other cruise lines to see whether it is possible to move thousands of Bahamians to Florida to get vaccinations.
This is a creative idea – although the thought of thousands of unvaccinated Bahamians on board a cruise ship heading for Florida to be vaccinated is one that would need careful organisation to avoid the virus running rampant during the journey, or to create a public relations disaster if Florida decided to close its doors to us. If nothing else, it does show the difficulty of simply obtaining the vaccine itself, and it would be far more sensible to bring the jabs to the arms rather than the arms to the jabs if possible.
The two aspects of managing the pandemic are clearly on Dr Minnis’ mind, though, as he says any decisions on reintroducing tougher restrictions would be “to ensure that there are no additional deaths and to ensure that our economy continues to roar as it is today”.
In other words, to try not to kill our people and also to try not to kill our economy. Both needs are under consideration.
These are weighty matters to decide – and it doesn’t serve Dr Minnis well to make flippant off-the-cuff remarks about two pandemics. Perhaps all the focus on the prospects of the next election being called are on his mind, and the political sparring with his rivals that goes with that, but the first and last priority right now has to remain defeating COVID in The Bahamas.
None of us is free from this pandemic yet – but for those who are unvaccinated, your risks are higher, and that is clearly seen by the difference in numbers in hospital between those who have received the jab and those who have not. The latter far outnumber the former. If you want to improve your chances, book your jab as soon as more supplies become available. And don’t listen to any suggestions that the pandemic is over.
Daylight robbery
Many of you will have seen a video circulating yesterday of a man being robbed while making a bank deposit in Harbour Bay yesterday.
An attacker knocked his victim to the ground, before grabbing a deposit bag and fleeing the scene in a vehicle.
Curiously, as the attacker makes his escape, the security guard seems to be running into the bank.
For those who use the bank regularly, they will have become used to the long queues outside because of COVID regulations, and the security guards doubling up as temperature checkers and sanitiser dispensers. That’s not unusual for this particular bank, the same applies for many others.
While there are few attacks so brazen as this one, in full sight of everyone and with the security guards close by, we hope lessons can be learned from it by banks to find ways to ensure customer safety from both COVID and criminals such as this. It also perhaps shows the desperation of some criminals. But we hope Assistant Superintendent of Police Audley Peters is right when he vows: “They’re going to be caught. It’s simply a matter of time.”
Comments
ohdrap4 2 years, 9 months ago
Florida remembers the mariel boatlift Which later proved to be carrying hiv positive folks.
ohdrap4 2 years, 9 months ago
This is condescending "doctor talk", who make the assumption that patients are stupid and cannot google. So they make a peremptory lie which may not be true but gets the patient out of the office.
As to ivermectin and orher things, watch the documentary "bending the arc" on netflix. WHO and other muckmucks willfully refused to treat the poor for drig resistant tuberculosis and AIDS.
This pandemic is the tuskegee experiment on steroids.
joeblow 2 years, 9 months ago
... Minnis is an idiot! Even the drug companies that produce the "vaccines" admit that one can still get infected with the virus AFTER vaccination! They claim the risk is low, but they cannot know that for certain since many variants were not in existence at the time of vaccine production!!!
These people don't want you to think for yourselves, they just want you to comply with their orders!
ThisIsOurs 2 years, 9 months ago
not only infected. Fully vaccinated persons have died
"Most of the infections were minor, but 62 vaccinated Californians died from COVID-19, according to California Department of Public Health data."
thats California. There are also fully vaccinated deaths reported in the UK, Israel and India. When we see it happening there, we're about 2 months away from it happening here
Dr Minnis and Renward Wells are currently the greatest threats to us surviving the pandemic with their completeky irresponsible seat of the pants propoganda
Bobsyeruncle 2 years, 8 months ago
Actually it's 88 Covid related deaths out of 21,000,000 fully vaccinated Californians.
Nationally, 4100 out of 150,000,000 fully vaccinated Americans have died of Covid,
In both cases the deaths include those who were admitted to hospital with another serious condition (e.g. cardiac arrest), and then tested positive after being admitted.
carltonr61 2 years, 9 months ago
Yet they are cleverly once again deliberately bunching Bahamians up on government lines to receive voters cards and police records knowing that it will brew an India maximum out of control theater. Then what? Lock down restrictions as this dictator and his covid minions love control and power.
truetruebahamian 2 years, 9 months ago
Government sponsored cruises to Florida is the most insane idea ever. I wouldn't pay for that irresponsible idea ever! Allow private pharmacies and dispensaries to bring in the vaccine and have it on hand for those willing to pay.
truetruebahamian 2 years, 9 months ago
Government sponsored cruises to Florida is the most insane idea ever. I wouldn't pay for that irresponsible idea ever!
dwanderer 2 years, 9 months ago
A few weeks ago, the PM enthusiastically encouraged vaccinated persons to gather with similar persons, remove their masks and as he loudly heralded, "Party on!" Now each day as Covid numbers soar again and hospital beds are filled to capacity, the stupidity of those words ring true. Many have partied on and endangered their health or others. Vaccinated individuals are still at risk of contracting and spreading Covid variants and dying. None of us are out of this pandemic. ALL of us need to continue to follow health safety protocols. That is the message those in authority need to disseminate and lead by example.
ohdrap4 2 years, 9 months ago
I declined to join 2 social groups I previously patronized recently.
They had planned to resume gatherings when all participants were fully vaccinated. From what they tell me I am the ony one not vaccinated and some attendees are underage.
I do not know if the meetings took place, but I sure was not going.
As to the voters card and character reference line, it is a trap. I will suffer the consequences of not having these documents updated.
dwanderer 2 years, 9 months ago
As for government sponsored cruises to Florida to receive a vaccine, I would assume that the PM is referring to single trips to receive the one-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine. However last week, the USA released warnings regarding possible adverse medical effects from the J&J vaccine. Also yesterday, it was announced that persons who received the J&J vaccine in the USA will need booster shots against the new variants. So, unless the government is prepared to sponsor multi cruise trips for initial shots then boosters etc, it would probably make more sense to bring the vaccine to the people.
whogothere 2 years, 9 months ago
If, as it is seems, the vaccines don't prevent infection or spread - what is the point of a vaccine passport?
If (big if - given what we've seen in South Africa) the vaccine protects the vaccinated from serious outcomes but they can still infect others, what benefit does it serve to discriminate by vaccination status?
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