As the threat of the coronavirus looms over us, life in Anguilla has become somewhat surreal. Our everyday experiences include sharing all sorts of information we find on social media about the virus, tuning in for the latest updates particularly from the rest of the region, crowding into supermarkets to get cleaning supplies, food items, and toilet paper etc. in preparation for what seems to be some “other worldly” event. Though for the vast majority of us, the coronavirus is not a death sentence, it has caused an alarming number of fatalities over the last few months. This, coupled with the fact that it has been declared a global pandemic and has no known vaccine or treatment, has caused significant fear and panic all over the world and right here in Anguilla.
Fear and panic are also being fuelled by the misinformation being shared all over the internet and social media. It seems like every minute there is some video, poster, article etc. on what to do, or not to do, to protect ourselves — some purportedly from reputable organisations and doctors, but so many have turned out to be fake. Yet, they’re all being shared widely and contributing to the chaos. We have even had deliberate misinformation being shared about its status here in Anguilla, seemingly for political purposes, but we will never know. The reality is that, in a public health crisis, misinformation can mean the difference between life and death. This is certainly not the time for nonsense — and I would urge our people to pay close attention to information from our own Ministry of Health and from regional public health organisations. These are reliable sources which have a civic responsibility, and duty of care, to convey accurate, reliable and timely information to the public.
Though these are unchartered waters for us, we must still guard against allowing fear, instead of reason, to rule our actions. The Ministry of Health has set out clear guidelines for us to follow in our daily lives — the main ones being to practice good hygiene, wash our hands frequently, avoid touching our faces and maintain safe social distances –simple steps that can reduce the risk of transmission and save lives. I believe our efforts would be better spent focussing on these things rather than crowding into stores to stockpile supplies. Subject to the advisories on large gatherings, we should try to undertake our normal activities, with some extra precautions.
I would also encourage us to be supportive of those in positions of leadership at this time. They don’t need our criticism or negativity, but our prayer, support and constructive ideas. I don’t envy them for one minute because they have difficult decisions to make and no matter what the decision, it will not find favour with everyone. However, they must be guided by the advice of their technical team and balance this with the impacts of their decisions on the overall wellbeing of the people of Anguilla. We must applaud the efforts of the health team and the entire government for the work that is being done. The communication to the public has been stellar, and their engagement with various stakeholder groups has helped to build confidence in the decisions being made. While it is too early to tell if their decisions will yield the desired results, the fact is that they are being made based on their assessment of the level of risk as this situation unfolds daily. We must at the very least appreciate the efforts made.
As a people, our duty in this crisis is to act responsibly, unselfishly and compassionately. We are stronger together, so let us not only consider ourselves but the wellbeing of others. This is what has gotten us through centuries of crises — and we must remain resolute in overcoming this new challenge. Our overall health and wellbeing must now be our number one priority. If we each do our part, collectively we will weather this storm.
