Dr Duane Sands on the campaign trail.
By KHRISNA RUSSELL
Tribune Chief Reporter
krussell@tribunemedia.net
THE COVID-19 crisis has forced The Bahamas to its “knees”, former Health Minister Dr Duane Sands said yesterday, as he recalled his distress at the toll the virus has taken on Bahamian lives.
“As a health care worker who is actively involved in the care of COVID patients it distresses me how many people are sick in hospital, how many people are dying and how many more are likely to die,” Dr Sands said yesterday of the situation at the Princess Margaret Hospital.
COVID-19 hospital admissions have continued to climb, jumping from 191 on Monday — a previous record — to a record 193 on Tuesday.
This number is the highest tally of hospital cases since the start of the pandemic.
Sixty of those cases are in Doctors Hospital, nine are at the South Beach Acute Care and Referral Centre, 104 are at PMH and 20 are at Grand Bahama Health Services.
Fifteen patients are in the intensive care unit.
On Monday, the Ministry of Health added seven new COVID related deaths, pushing the death count to 453.
Dr Sands said The Bahamas is facing what much of the world has experienced in prior months.
“We have seen this in other countries. We’ve seen this in India. We’ve seen this in the United States. We’ve seen it in Great Britain. We’ve seen it in Italy and elsewhere. At a particular point in time many of those places I just named were similarly on their knees.
“This is our time, and it is by cooperation, it is by rigid adherence and discipline to public health measures and an adopting of vaccination that we’re going to get out of this. We cannot flaunt the public health measures and refuse vaccination given the challenges that we are already having with the healthcare system and expect this to turn out well.
“I don’t believe this is an effective time for finger-pointing. I think what we ought to be doing is collectively working together to solve what is an horrendous problem and if we do that, we may emerge somewhat intact, but right now the situation is grim.
“It is bad out there.”
He insisted there must be a greater focus on health protocols.
“To people who are worried about their safety, public health measures are very effective – hand washing, social distancing (and) mask wearing. It’s really effective even against the Delta variant and so you can protect yourself by using those methods and I would strongly suggest that people do so.
“I also strongly suggest that people get vaccinated although vaccination is not going to provide them with protection in the immediate term. So, if you get vaccinated today it is gonna take you some time before that vaccine confers a level of immunologic protection, but it’s a critical part of the way forward.
“We’ve managed to vaccinate some 30,000 people in the last two weeks. I think that’s good. We should hopefully get to do some more and let’s continue to fight this thing as aggressively as we can.
“This ought to be an all of country response and I don’t think that any of us from the competent authority down to the smallest child who can make a decision for themselves, can be exempt from participating in the process of keeping The Bahamas safe.
“So, we all need to look at our behaviour. We all need to look at the policies being made,” Dr Sands said.
Comments
ThisIsOurs 2 years, 7 months ago
As cases climb and people die Renward Wells says dont worry the counts should be down by the 16th. He might be right. Everyone might be dead by then.The count could be at 0.
carltonr61 2 years, 7 months ago
Sands always voted for one man rule he is a part of the one man team that has not spoken to our Nurses and Physicians Union for over a year. He will continue to keep the dictatorship running on emergency one man rule orders that has this once proud nation prostrated and knocked out of the ring. We have suffered greatly in every aspect of life, happiness, and death under his support. Anything on God's Earth is better than this FNM that we fought so far for.
Sickened 2 years, 7 months ago
LOL! ROFL!
I'm really hope that you are not seriously hinting that the PLP would be better? Lawd have mercy. Brave them would seriously just bundle as much cash as they can into duffle bags and then force a Bahamasair jet to fly them to Panama. DONE! Never to be seen again. THEY ONLY WANT MONEY!
The FNM bad but by Lord they ain't PLP bad!
benniesun 2 years, 7 months ago
Majesty: The sovereignty and power of the Supreme being.
It is easy to see that the root of majesty is magic; even though most politicians and doctors firmly be-'lie'-ve in the deceit of so called science. Decisions have been made (and are still being made) which have destroyed lives, inflicted pain and suffering on a great many and will continue to inflict on generations to come, and are destroying our country. The Supreme Being will hold to account the evil decisions and actions of each appointed politician, doctor, and their facilitators - each will personally pay; either and/or in this life, the hereafter, or in their reincarnated lives to come. Curses and calamities will afflict them and their progeny. Dorian was only a taste of what is to come.
JokeyJack 2 years, 7 months ago
You know - you are right, and I've never even commented on that - because I don't believe that the majority of Bahamians actually believe in God. Sunday is dress-up day. If they believed in God they would not allow His children to be treated the way they are in the prison.
BUT, yes, these people behind this new Covid (got a cough, got Covid) scheme will be paying a very heavy price under His hand. So if anybody wants to know who the Satan worshippers are - it is easy - it is the people who are telling you to get vaccinated, to wear a mask, to wash your hands, to stand apart in line, etc. while AT THE SAME TIME telling you NOT to take medicine for this supposed sickness. Wow. A sickness that we are not allowed to take medicine for - who could have thought this one up. And the people just love it. I see so many out there PROUDLY wearing their masks, believing they are saving the world. The ought to add a red cape to their wardrobe.
themessenger 2 years, 7 months ago
Tribanon, the king of shit stirring is dead. Arise jokeyjack, long live the King!
stillwaters 2 years, 7 months ago
I was thinking the same thing.....suck teet
carltonr61 2 years, 7 months ago
Sands is not making sense as he voted for Adolf Hitler to remain our deadly all powerful ruler over us all that we are experiencing covid deaths today under current leadership to expect our deaths will hit thousands by October. He voted the dictator to be absolute ruler till November so we could expect the same that is happening today, run-a-way deaths and the hospital turning into a sewer. The dictator and his MP henchmen have already spoken their intention toward forced vaccinations for all living and dead Bahamians and he already has the power to execute his nasty plans till November. We would be foolish as a people to sign our own death warrants. The minute Adolf Hitler should return to power our fat female whipping stick ultimate ruler will snare then bark "lock down," turn her back as she usually stomps on Bahamian families over the past eighteen months. WHO wants to be barked at again till November then another three months rubberstamped by Sands and company. They will whip all Bahamians female, children, male and infants on the vaccine mandate line like a global alien invasion. A nasty bunch with crazy powers being used in a nasty way.
JokeyJack 2 years, 7 months ago
People don't know about the Jews being forced to "take showers". Of course, just like this vaccine is not a vaccine, the showers weren't showers either.
carltonr61 2 years, 7 months ago
By the way. Guinea this week makes the fourth African nation recolonized along with Haiti.
TalRussell 2 years, 7 months ago
A scary fact to buck up is be found in today's edition of the daily newspaper, the Nassau Guardian's Obituary Columns — Had expanded publish additional pages Deaded Notices. — If TruthBeOut, — not all fall under Covid related deaded — but a fair chunk (admitted as being true by RedAuthority's, own health officials) amongst names the many deaded — Do fall, squarely under the hundreds which go officially classified — Cause of Death remains, Unknown. — Proper arithmetic on who has Hurricane Dorian and Covid deaded and didn't,** hasn't exactly been a strong trait for 39 House-elected Red MPs'. — The Elizabeth candidate, falls amongst the 39 arithmetic flawed Reds, — Yes?
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