Given the lack of protocols to slow down the COVID-19 infection rate, it would appear that the Government has abandoned plans to ensure and encourage citizens to get vaccinated. It seems the administration has also come to appreciate the price to be paid for shutting down the economy. Instead of tightening its limited protocols and save lives and livelihoods in the best interests of the public the government has fallen asleep at the wheel.
The consequences are inescapable. Active cases now exceed 2500, with no respite in sight. We have seen a dramatic increase in critical cases and in the number of COVID-associated deaths.
The Government has made no attempt to reintroduce the use of hotels for infected patients, especially considering Victoria Hospital only has 100 beds. The government is well aware that if the trend continues this hospital will soon be filled with critical patients, as has occurred disastrously in other countries. With its back to the wall, indications are that the government may have decidedly surreptitiously to simply allow the entire population to become infected, hopefully to achieve herd immunity.
The Leader of the United Workers Party and Leader of the Opposition, Honourable Allen Chastanet, who successfully led Saint Lucia through previous outbreaks, notes that this was the same strategy implemented by some other countries in the earlier stages of the outbreak with deadly consequences.
“If in fact the Government has decided to go in this direction,” says Mr. Chastanet, “it means they are willing to sacrifice lives in pursuit of a mission impossible. We cannot accept this game of dice when the lives of our people are at stake. Keep in mind our rate of diabetes and hypertension, among the highest per capita in the world. Has the Government decided how it will manage the numbers of people being infected simultaneously so that the current facilities and country are not overwhelmed? Has the Government understood the post-COVID health implications to the population and the potential increase in health costs to the citizens and to the country? We are about to pass the 10,000 contracted cases, or just over 5% of the population. That means 94% of the population have not had COVID as yet. It is clear that “the science” must include the physical capacity of the health system, the health of our citizens and their resilience to being infected and the strength of their immune system. It is imperative we keep the infection rate as low as possible. The government must consider the financial capacity of the country to handle the revenue fallout and the increased cost.”
The United Workers Party recalls the discouraging false statements by members of the current government when they were in opposition. No wonder they now appear mired down by their earlier held positions in the face of the previous government’s well intended efforts.
Our country is under siege and the current administration is offering the people little defense. Even more concerning is the demonstrated lack of empathy, even with the country in free fall. The government must immediately change course. If you allow COVID to continue spreading, the citizens of this country will soon reach a point of desperation, such as we’ve never seen in this country.
