BAHAMAS Nurses Union President Amancha Williams.
By LEANDRA ROLLE
Tribune Staff Reporter
lrolle@tribunemedia.net
BAHAMAS Nurses Union President Amancha Williams said yesterday the union would only support the government’s proposed decision to end the COVID-19 emergency restrictions if a comprehensive plan is in place to mitigate potential virus spread.
Ms Williams spoke to The Tribune after Attorney General Carl Bethel told reporters on Tuesday the government wants to remove the COVID-19 emergency restrictions by August.
However, Mr Bethel noted doing so will heavily depend on infection rates and the behaviour of residents.
Asked if the BNU would support the move, Ms Williams said members would lend their support, but only on condition that officials have a proper plan in place.
She said the country cannot afford to let its guard down against the virus, even though cases and virus-related hospitalizations appear to be somewhat declining.
According to the latest data released by the Ministry of Health, 60 new cases were confirmed on Wednesday, pushing the nation’s tally to 12,467. Of this count, 703 of those cases are still active.
Meanwhile, 37 people are said to be in hospital sick with the virus.
“We still have some challenges with COVID-19 and I don’t want anyone to believe it’s gone and so you want to move forward with a plan,” Ms Williams said yesterday. “If you ain’t got no plan, you might as well stay where you’re at. It’s safety. You must have a plan, a strategic plan.
“Emergency orders can be moved, fine but you must have a plan and I hope in this interim, they are planning and not just going back to the same old things. Have everything up and running to be able to facilitate any outbreaks.
“Have a development team that is going to look at the various challenges so that we could be ready for anything that comes. Have a plan, a strategic plan and that’s the most important thing.
“Because CDC (US Centres for Disease Control) said with these vaccinations, at the end of the day you’re still going to need a booster so how are you going to deal with that and so all of these things have to be looked at.”
Yesterday, Ms Williams said she believes vaccinations are an important tool in helping to defeat the virus and agreed that more people need to take the shots in order for the country to move on from the pandemic.
However, she said the Minnis administration’s current methods to get more people vaccinated is not the way to go, calling the tactics “discriminatory”.
Pointing to the government’s proposed “vaccination day” and newly released measures for fully vaccinated people, the BNU president said the government must be careful not to infringe on people’s rights.
As it stands now, fully vaccinated people can now engage in private gatherings and other social events in homes and elsewhere provided all attendees are also fully vaccinated among other things.
But, Ms Williams contended yesterday that this is not healthy for a democratic nation.
“The major thing is education. You have to educate so at the end of the day continue to educate, continue to go to various institutions, various communities and educate,” she said.
“I can see you saying a free meal if you become vaccinated or a free grocery bag or something like that or things that you know people are really in need of like a free cell phone or something like that.
“But, you’re going to then tell me I cannot be on the road because I’m not vaccinated and supposed I don’t want to take it but because of my health so all of these variables have to be taken into consideration,” she added.
“You can’t just make a statement like that because you’re going to leave out a grouping of people and you’re not going to be fair. This is a democratic country so what are you saying that this isn’t democratic anymore? It’s based on if you’re vaccinated? No, and we have had a number of campaigning (for the next election).”
Yesterday, the BNU president also spoke on the many challenges still being faced by workers in the country’s health care system.
Key among these include staff shortage issues and poor working conditions.
“We have nurses leaving every day,” she said. “At Freeport, I was told 60 nurses left in a year so that is really serious and that’s not Nassau yet and out of that, probably only ten retired so it’s something to be looked at. People are tired and we’re losing nurses because they’re getting discouraged just because of how they’re being treated in this pandemic.”
As it relates to hospital working conditions, Ms Williams said the air conditioning system in several wards at Princess Margaret Hospital has been down for several weeks, something she said has been frustrating workers.
“The air conditioners are not working in various major wards, the medical area, the surgical area. Nurses are working with 15 to 21 patients with no air condition. Relatives have to bring fans for their loved ones,” she said.
“On the wards, you have diabetic foot wounds. Could you imagine, because of the heat, the sweat and the growth of germs. That’s why most hospitalisations have rules and regulations, and the temperature should be at a certain number… For four weeks, we can’t get the air conditioning up and running,” she said.
“Why are we operating a hospital in poor working conditions?”
Comments
mandela 2 years, 10 months ago
4 weeks no air-condition at the one and only major public hospital in Nassau where at least 80% of the population lives, and yet we can spend 20mil on sidewalks, wow! and to think our PM is also a doctor how embarrassing, disgraceful and shameful.
carltonr61 2 years, 10 months ago
460 days from March 18/2020 we have been living under this dictatorship. Just like Iraq Weopons of Mass Destruction that world authorities billed as true to invade then occupied the nation. Now we are hearing the Indian strain is killing the young.
DDK 2 years, 10 months ago
Maybe SHE wants to spend the rest of her life with a wretched mask glued to her face.......
carltonr61 2 years, 10 months ago
https://m.theepochtimes.com/half-of-a...">https://m.theepochtimes.com/half-of-a...
JokeyJack 2 years, 10 months ago
This hospital has been having problems with air conditioning for many years. I find it hard to believe its not deliberate. As the old saying goes "even a broken clock is right twice a day", but Bah govts are lucky to do it once.
Cobalt 2 years, 10 months ago
I must admit that there is a perception of hypocrisy by Dr. Minnis. Conveniently lifting COVID19 restrictions right in time for elections??? Not all people are stupid Dr. Minnis. These type of actions aggravate a lot of people and cause them to vote against you. Remember….. Bahamian people vote out of spite rather than common sense! Word to the wise Dr. Minnis.
TigerB 2 years, 10 months ago
I smile at these comments I happen to be married to a nurse for almost thirty years. They work their tails off because Bahamians cannot understand that nature of keeping those protocols, which are only in existence because of the emergency order. Drop the emergency order and all roads will lead to the hospitals. I stand by the union leader, the nurses are tired, they are leaving, all we do is sit back and complain. My house is fully vaccinated, I really don't care who do what my family covered.
ohdrap4 2 years, 10 months ago
Do not be so sure. I have been invited to resume participation in 2 social groups , which members are fully vaccinated, so feel entitled to restart their soireés.
Astrazeneca hardly protects anyone from the indian variant, so the vaccination is moot and to gather on a regular basis just increases my chances of catching covid.
I say social distancing and mask is a better bet.
I am my own emergency order.
whogothere 2 years, 10 months ago
There is no plan - there has never been a plan.. Virus is going virus.. Seychelles is still cautionary tale...you can't rely just on vaccines...viral evolution is what it is..
In the US, varied strategies between states shows that there was no better outcome between states with Mask Mandates and those with out, those that closed schools and those that didn't nor those that imposed rigid lockdowns and those more open...Seasonality, antibodies, t-cell immunity, viral evolution.. shapes the curve - COIVD vaccination (until the tech improves) is comparitively risky temporary measure..
carltonr61 2 years, 10 months ago
Only in The Bahamas vaccinated people cannot get Covid nor transmit it. Both United Nations and WHO admits that because new varients pop up and those vaccinated still get ill hygiene is the one and only cure for all. Hygiene must be working around the world as reports indicate almost zero cases of the common cold or flu. Tourist sectors around the world are out doing each other after realizing tourist will travel 100% to destination competitors with the least restrictions.
carltonr61 2 years, 10 months ago
https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/covid-19...">https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/covid-19...
Hospitalized or fatal COVID-19 vaccine breakthrough cases reported to CDC as of June 21, 2021 As of June 21, 2021, more than 150 million people in the United States had been fully vaccinated against COVID-19.
During the same time, CDC received reports from 47 U.S. states and territories of 4,115 patients with COVID-19 vaccine breakthrough infection who were hospitalized or died.
Total number of vaccine breakthrough infections reported to CDC Hospitalized or fatal vaccine breakthrough cases reported to CDC 4,115 Female 2,001 (49%) People aged ≥65 years 3,124 (76%) Asymptomatic infections 750 (18%) Hospitalizations 3,907 (95%) Deaths† 750 (18%) 1,004 (26%) of 3,907 hospitalizations reported as asymptomatic or not related to COVID-19. †142 (19%) of 750 fatal cases reported as asymptomatic or not related to COVID-19.
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