The number of coronavirus cases in Guyana continues to climb daily with the death rate also on the increase. With the worrying trend, President Irfaan Ali today pleaded with citizens to stop taking the coronavirus pandemic lightly.
“You can have the best plan, but if people themselves do not understand the impact, if people themselves don’t understand that this thing kills you, that COVID is not a joke, COVID is not to be taken lightly and if you don’t have not only the understanding but the value for your own life, and others, your family then as you may want to put it, it is a shift in mindset and thinking that has to take place”, the President said.
In the interview with News Source at State House, President Ali explained that the worrying trend of persons not taking the disease seriously is what triggered his government’s decision to get the Police and the Guyana Defence Force more involved in enforcing the guidelines on the virus.
He said “that is why we have asked the Police and the Army and Civil Society and the Private Sector to go on a national campaign. We have more than 1000 persons going around the country educating people, sharing out masks at bus parks and it will be continuous for the next six weeks. I have also reached out to countries that are advanced in the vaccines and I have asked them to put Guyana as a priority on their agenda”.
The President said he continues to meet with his Health Minister and other Health professionals on the coronavirus situation in the country.
He said it is painful to see people losing their lives to the pandemic and that is why he would like to see citizens heed the health guidelines.
The President said the government has been forced to balance dealing with the pandemic and also addressing concerns of the economy. The reopening of the airports, he explained, will be done with several measures in place to protect workers and travelers alike.
But he said he remains very concerned that too many citizens continue to flout the COVID-19 guidelines and recommendations of the health authorities.
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