Dear Editor,

How should we view a meteorologist who forecast heavy showers but panics as soon as it starts drizzling? Or a health minister who confidently and repeatedly projected there would be more than a million cases of infection by the novel coronavirus during community spread and that we were adequately prepared, but appears alarmed when his prediction is on track to becoming a reality?

Is it being ill-prepared or just reality sinking in?

Perception becomes our reality, it is often said. Our perception is influenced by our beliefs, desires, experiences, and expectations. But reality has always existed independently of our perception, acceptance or denial, or how we confront it.

There are some reality checks I consider important to ponder regarding this pandemic.

1) At the outbreak of the pandemic in Jamaica it was repeatedly projected that approximately 1.5 million people would get the virus during the community phase of spread and during the following few months we were informed the projection was still on track.

I thought the health ministry was predicting failure of its intended measures to contain the coronavirus. This also meant at some point approximately 4,000 Jamaicans would be infected daily during the course of a year. The number of confirmed cases to date, and with more than 800 in a day, is most unfortunate and regrettable, but should not be surprising.

2) The coronavirus spreads during day and night. People switching some nocturnal activities like parties, street sessions, and the traditional ‘set-up’ to the daytime with COVID-19 protocol breaches make curfews ineffective.

3) Rules which are not enforced are like food not eaten and will not achieve their nutritional effects or regulatory purposes.

4) Any behaviour which gets rewarded gets repeated. When wrongdoers are not caught, convicted or punished accordingly, then by default bad behaviour is being rewarded and will be repeated.

5) The coronavirus does not discriminate, and whether protocols are breached by followers or leaders or by rich or poor, having parties, street dances, or doing electioneering, the consequences are the same.

6) When politicians disobey sound scientific and medical advice during this pandemic, the consequences have been catastrophic. America and Brazil are classic examples. In Jamaica I have heard no official confirmation or denial of a similar speculation.

7) Effective public relations can alter people’s perception of poor decisions, but never their consequences, which can linger for years or even decades.

Some realities need to sink in for us to effectively contain the coronavirus spread.

Daive R Facey

DR.Facey@gmail.com