BVI Doing Well But Has Also Been Lucky With COVID-19 – UK Official
While highlighting a number of countries in the region that have been battling the Coronavirus, United Kingdom Healthcare Ambassador to the Overseas Territories Professor Ian Cummings praised the British Virgin Islands for their management of the virus but said the territory has also been lucky.
His remarks were made during the Honestly Speaking Radio Programme yesterday, June 8.
“You have been well prepared, I think your Ministry of Health has done a good job, the hospital is doing a good job, the community health teams have done a good job, people at your borders have done a good job, but you know what the population has done a good job,” Professor Cummings stated.
He explained that this is because all the protocols and restrictions that have been put in place “if everybody ignores them, then there’s no point in having them, so it’s about a community effort to make sure you keep the Virgin Islands as safe as you can.”
He added, “So I think that has been good. On top of that, you have also been lucky, and I think it is important to realize that it is a combination of the two – a combination of luck and good planning and good management [because] it only takes one person to create quite a significant outbreak.”
He also pointed out that he also believes that as a result, “there is a low perception in the population in the risk of catching COVID or becoming very unwell from COVID. And alongside that, in my opinion, what is inaccurate is the risk associated with the vaccine. And I think that is quite a dangerous place for people to be in if that’s their views. This disease can and does kill; I have seen it kill.”
As of June 7, the territory has recorded a total of 295 cases of the Coronavirus, with one reported death.
Presently there are three active cases, all on Tortola.
“You have been well prepared, I think your Ministry of Health has done a good job, the hospital is doing a good job, the community health teams have done a good job, people at your borders have done a good job, but you know what the population has done a good job,” Professor Cummings stated.
He explained that this is because all the protocols and restrictions that have been put in place “if everybody ignores them, then there’s no point in having them, so it’s about a community effort to make sure you keep the Virgin Islands as safe as you can.”
He added, “So I think that has been good. On top of that, you have also been lucky, and I think it is important to realize that it is a combination of the two – a combination of luck and good planning and good management [because] it only takes one person to create quite a significant outbreak.”
He also pointed out that he also believes that as a result, “there is a low perception in the population in the risk of catching COVID or becoming very unwell from COVID. And alongside that, in my opinion, what is inaccurate is the risk associated with the vaccine. And I think that is quite a dangerous place for people to be in if that’s their views. This disease can and does kill; I have seen it kill.”
As of June 7, the territory has recorded a total of 295 cases of the Coronavirus, with one reported death.
Presently there are three active cases, all on Tortola.