Many persons have been commenting on the newest phase of our reopening exercise that has seen a significant increase in the number of persons arriving in our country, particularly by air. Many cannot help but feel anxious about how this new phase will play out, and how prepared we are for the possibility of additional COVID-19 cases here.
For those who have been living here since the lockdown, earlier in March, we have benefited from closed borders and a very strict, controlled and staggered process of repatriation. Arguably, our closure to the outside world, and our seclusion from the chaos and community spread in neighbouring St. Martin/St.Maarten, which has stretched the resources of the authorities there, may have given all of us a false sense of security.
The Coronavirus pandemic is by no means over. In fact, measures to return to strict lockdown have returned in the United Kingdom which has seen a huge surge in cases as they enter into the winter season. The economic fallout continues to impact the UK, and Anguilla by extension, as we continue to depend heavily on an economy that is far from being diversified. Cases also continue to rise in the USA and the new President Elect Joe Biden is already putting together a taskforce to address the issue when he takes office in January 2021.
It is true that every leader and government across the world is being faced with an unprecedented situation that the Coronavirus presents. However, how we manage this crisis, and how we respond to the challenges, are very important and should be open to critique as this is indeed a learning experience for all of us. And to that point, we must work even harder to be proactive when dealing with this crisis and do all that we can to protect our people and our country from this evolving threat and multifaceted challenge.
I suggested in previous articles that we need to revisit the health protocols and regulations that we implemented during the lockdown period. These included stay at home measures, restrictions on public gatherings, social distancing mandates and wearing of masks. While I applaud the number of Anguillians, government departments and business places that have taken a proactive approach since the official reopening of our country, at the start of this month, I believe that the wearing of masks should be strongly encouraged by officials in our Ministry of Health. We should not wait, God forbid, until there is another positive case of COVID-19 in Anguilla before these measures are mandated.
I am also concerned about the human resources available to us to facilitate the monitoring of persons who must undergo the mandatory quarantine period when coming to Anguilla. If new arrivals are coming in at a steady pace, do we have enough persons to properly carry-out the mandatory checks and testing for those under quarantine regulations? Or should we ensure that the number of persons allowed to enter the country does not overwhelm the human resources presently available for the monitoring framework? These are important questions that must be answered in an open and transparent manner. We all must remember that is only takes one individual to break the rules; thus we must ensure that we do everything in our power to discourage such an occurrence.
I urge all Anguillians, heads of households, and members of the business community, to engage those around you, within your care and under your supervision. Speak to them about the necessary precautions they must take and the hand hygiene practices which they must follow to keep everyone safe. This requires everyone to be on board and everyone to take personal responsibility for their actions. We all must do our part to prevent the spread of COVID-19. We are all in this together! Be Safe and Stay Safe.
