Tipping point

WE REITERATE the importance of staying home unless you are among those designated essential by the State Friday. We are at a turning or tipping point to quote Minister of Health Terrence Deyalsingh, and forbearance is required, not disarray.

The scenes of panic-buying and crowded lines at supermarkets that attended the announcement of the widening of restrictions were as disheartening as they were understandable.

Social distancing is essential at this moment and the fact that persons were willing to so flagrantly breach this marked a kind of desperation that was uncalled for.

We have been heading in this direction for some time now, so it is hard to understand how some could have been caught unawares. The inclusion of groceries and supermarkets on the list of entities we hope will assuage some of the panic.

While the Government has published its list, it should go without saying that this is a time to exercise common sense and restraint. The overall principle should be not to go out unless absolutely necessary. In this regard, even some of those who will be authorised to move around must do so responsibly, erring on the side of caution.

The restriction of movement to only a list of essential services is not unprecedented in the global response to covid19. Earlier this week in Canada, Ontario and Quebec ordered all non-essential workplaces closed. Alberta followed suit.

Whether the State’s response will be escalated further remains a matter of debate (and in some circles a serious bone of contention). For now, we observe we continue to enjoy our fundamental rights and freedoms, except as curtailed under law, and to benefit from access to supplies and resources which we need to exist in comfort and security. This is another moment to prepare for the possibility of even more severe action, should the need arise.

The inclusion of funeral homes on the list of permitted actors, however, is a morbid acknowledgement that the death toll is likely to continue to rise, as is the acknowledgement Friday, that World Health Organisation (WHO) guidelines point to risks in the handling of deceased covid19 patients.

The Police Service, facing perils of their own given police officers falling ill and evacuated police stations, need the support and compliance of members of the public. Their resources should not be unduly stretched by the need to break up reckless gatherings, as has occurred at some churches and bars.

This is, however, a golden opportunity for the protective services to show their mettle. Firm action need not be accompanied by distressing scenes of confrontation as seen in a clash with media and security guards at a hospital this week. As for patients who have been released, they should not be treated as pariahs, but should comply with the mandatory seven-day isolation period, a tipping point indeed.

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