Superintendent of Police Cromwell Henry noted that some persons have been playing cat and mouse with law enforcement – putting on their masks when police are nearby and then taking it off when the officers leave the area.The two-island nation is preparing for a phased reopening of its border in October and according to the Chairman of that country’s National COVID-19 Task Force, Abdias Samuel, the time for action is now.
“We started with education, advising you to wear your mask, and then we moved on to enforcement,” St. Kitts and Nevis Government Informatin Service (SKNIS)quotes Samuel as saying. “They mean business now and … by next week when the police start to issue the $500 tickets for not wearing the masks, I hope there is not a public outcry.”
The chairman added that the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the United States had designated St. Kitts and Nevis as a destination with a “very low risk” of COVID-19 transmission. He added that officials would continue to work hard to flatten the curve of the novel coronavirus in the coming weeks and months but added that everyone must play their part.
The call is for everyone to practise proper hand hygiene, maintain social distancing and to wear facemasks when in public areas.
These measures are outlined in the Saint Christopher and Nevis Statutory Rules and Orders No. 39 of 2020 Emergency Powers (COVID-19) (No. 14) Regulations. This means that they are not just advice from health officials, but they are the laws of the land.
I am calling on the Government of the Commonwealth of Dominica to implement and enforce the mandatory and proper wearing of face masks as well as practicing mandatory social distancing in all public spaces across Dominica. This should be done urgently.
I note that the Government was generous to the Peoples Republic of China by donating thousands of face masks to them when the COVID 19 Pandemic started in Wuhan China.
I hope the Government will be generous to the citizens, residents and visitors if possible by providing every one with at least one face mask for use. People must also make the effort to buy a face mask or make one for use to help protect themselves and the general public from the contagion.
A very aggressive Public Health Education campaign should be undertaken on COVID 19 followed by mandatory implementation and enforcement… More to follow
Are there unseen forces instructing & pushing governments down these paths? If so, what’s the endgame?
I find it quite interesting to note the similarities in the rolling out of these enforcement strategies & their timing across various nations. Coincidence?
Based on the following information, why doesn’t the flu provoke such similar worldwide hysteria, shutdowns etc as seen with COVID:
“Influenza remains one of the world’s greatest public health challenges. Every year across the globe, there are an estimated 1 billion cases, of which 3 to 5 million are severe cases, resulting in 290 000 to 650 000 influenza-related respiratory deaths.”
From the WHO – https://www.who.int/news-room/detail/11-03-2019-who-launches-new-global-influenza-strategy
Of course it’s not a coincidence.. The disease is new and people are finding a way and trying to adopt best practice in different countries.
Covid is FAR deadlier than the flu .. In one of his rare true statements (ironically uttered when peddling a lie) Trump said that flu kills abut 35000 people in the US annually . Now, over 200,000 Americans have died from Covid since March … you do the math.