EDITOR, The Tribune.
This COVID-19 Pandemic has thrown the world into a tailspin. But it has also revealed the selfishness and ignorance of so many of this world’s people, many of whom think it an imposition to be told that the only way to protect themselves and others is to be vaccinated – or at least tested. And, oh, by the way don’t forget that mask!
There is no known cure, there is only the trial-and-error belief that if everybody followed certain protocols, the COVID-19 pandemic could not only be slowed, but eventually destroyed — as was leprosy, typhoid, cholera, and polio, among other diseases over the years. The Bahamas has had to contend with all of them. As a child I well remember the dreaded leprosy. There was even the Lazaretto off Carmichael Road, which was closed when the last patient died – and leprosy has never been heard of since. This generation has probably never even heard of it. Many generations from now Bahamians will probably be talking about COVID-19 in the same way, but while it is with us, it is a clear and present danger, and we all know what we have to do – like it or not.
Eateries in Nassau were closed for a period to give their owners time to do all in their power to make certain – in the words of lawyer Michael Scott, who with his wife also owns a restaurant – that their guests didn’t “come for sushi and leave with a COVID dessert.”
So there had to be drastic change. Not only did restaurant owners have to sterilise their premises, especially the kitchens, but also those who worked there and could be COVID carriers – in other words their staff. Now, here is where it gets interesting, and a union leader led the tune, of “I does have a contract, and nothing in it says that I have to be vaccinated, so nobody better come messing with my stuff!” – to me it was the voice of the typical ignorant. Some of the employees objected to the new rule, because they had signed a contract, and nothing in the contract allowed for COVID, or for the contract to be changed, not even be renegotiated. When that contract was negotiated no one had even heard of COVID!
So the restaurant is disinfected, the kitchens are spotless and the food well cooked — but. Yep, it was a big “but” – COVID was not in the contract, nor were there any conditions that they had to be tested before they continued serving patrons. In other words, in serving dishes of delicious food, they could also be passing on COVID! But apparently, they were not budging because, it “ain’t in de contract!” And no one could fire them for non cooperation during a deadly pandemic because “it just ain’ in de contract.”’ They were entitled to their job with all the terms of their contract intact — COVID could take a flying leap! Apparently a union leader agreed. I believe Mr Scott eventually worked it out to everybody’s satisfaction.
But, just let’s suppose the union got its way and those who refused to be vaccinated remained on the job serving unsuspecting customers. A customer fell ill. The COVID was traced back to the restaurant and it was quickly closed. No restaurant, no job, and where did that employee say his contract was, and what did it have to say about forced closure because vaccination was not in the contract of one of the employees? So everyone suffered, because of the ignorant selfishness of a few.
Just see where ignorance will lead us! We just urge everyone to cooperate during this pandemic, if only for selfish reasons – so that you and your loved ones will not fall victim to COVID 19.
A VOICE IN THE WILDERNESS
Nassau.
May 7, 2021
Comments
tetelestai 2 years, 12 months ago
If you don't have the temerity to put your name behind something - particularly when you cowardly attack others - then you need to keep your opinions to yourself. Coward!
tribanon 2 years, 12 months ago
Be careful...that's a boomerang you just threw that might come back to hit you in the back of your head. lol
themessenger 2 years, 12 months ago
The writer is correct, the only run Bahamians on is their own as long as it’s good for them, if it inconveniences or infects others das dey problem. By the way who did the writer attack or did you catch feelings for him pointing out a few hard truths to our ignorant people? And speaking of pseudonyms, I’m sure your parents really named you tetelestai, has a real Bahamian flavor to it.
tribanon 2 years, 12 months ago
Aaah yes, that boomerang I was talking about. lol
tetelestai 2 years, 12 months ago
You should be the last to talk, Mr. Very Large Glass House!
tribanon 2 years, 12 months ago
Not too bright, are you?
carltonr61 2 years, 12 months ago
Nothing the wilderness mentions is backed by science. Sounds like he/it/she is an honor student of Fauci's what if, probably if, you could imagine, we could expect prophecy the devil will come today school of chicken Little the sky is falling. Next year that your brain is a nut that spins on a worn screw just hope by next year Fauci is not around so that your nut could fly off.
carltonr61 2 years, 12 months ago
Didn't that whaling chicken Little in the wilderness find a recent paper that from the Seychelles Islands where even the vaccinated at restaurants got Covid. You need to find your way out of that hairy dark spot and become enlightened by world tried and true failures.
themessenger 2 years, 12 months ago
I would have to agree that you certainly come across as one of the world’s tried and true failures and I completely concur that your brain is a nut spinning on a worn screw. You need to do a little more whale watching in that dark hairy spot that holds your fascination.
tribanon 2 years, 12 months ago
The writer fails to appreciate the significance of the family of corona viruses that the Wuhan Virus and its many variants belong to. It's the same family of viruses that the common cold virus belongs to. And mankind has had no success in eradicating the common cold, and likely never will. Unfotunately the Wuhan Virus and its variants are much more infectious, harmful and adaptable by mutation than the common cold virus. A ever growing number of scientists now believe this is a result of the original COVID-19 virus having been given 'gain-of-function' capabilities by virologists through bio-engineering processes undertaken at a level 4 CCP military controlled bio-hazard research lab in the Wuhan Province of Communist China. So far the Wuhan Virus seems to be escaping normal herd immunity and vaccine solutions by mutating to variants at a fairly rapid clip.
ohdrap4 2 years, 12 months ago
Ok let me help a little bit in your ignorance, leprosy is endemic in several places in the world, most notably India and Brazil.
Not a single one of these diseases has been DESTROYED. Neither has the bubonic plague.
Only Alastrim, a variant of smallpox, has not been heard of since the late 70s.
Better to remain silent and be thought of a fool. LOL.
proudloudandfnm 2 years, 12 months ago
There is only one solution to this...
Make the vaccine mandatory to go out. No vaccine you stay at home, give us proper documentation and let us live, let the trumpie morons stay in their homes bitchin and moaning and whining...
ohdrap4 2 years, 12 months ago
It hit a nerve, didn't it?
tribanon 2 years, 12 months ago
I bet you just can't wait to find out what 'they' will next want you to put in that body of yours, and by force if necessary. And all you have to do is pray you live after being forceably medicated with the next thing 'they' are no doubt already planning to put in your body. lol
jus2cents 2 years, 12 months ago
You don’t get to refuse to participate in a pandemic. We are all either contracting the virus, or getting the vaccine. That’s it. Those are the two options.
When deciding whether or not to get vaccinated; you should compare what we know about the virus, to what we know about about the vaccine. You should not trick yourself into comparing receiving the vaccine with remaining both Uninfected and unvaccinated. That is not a third option that exists unless you are a solo resident on an uninhabited remote island.
The earliest human trials for the Covid-19 vaccines began a year ago. We only have about 5 additional months worth of data on Covid disease itself (with less “participants”). So the “long term effects”, in terms of years, are unknown for both groups. However, we know from existing data, that those in the control group who have contracted Covid-19 disease are, at an alarming percentage, even with mild disease, left with life long complications such as; lung disease, heart disease, vascular disease, liver dysfunction, kidney failure, neurologic and psychiatric disorders and more. Those will be long term disabilities.
tribanon 2 years, 12 months ago
I suspect your first sentence is highly offensive to many. No doubt Hitler held the view that Jews couldn't refuse to participate in the holocaust. And by the way, contrary to the popular saying, 'we're not all in this together'.
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