What is missing from our daily Covid-19 dashboard ?

Published 6 September, 2021

Basseterre 

Buckie Got It, St. Kitts and Nevis News Source 

by Dr Cameron Wilkinson 

What is missing from our daily Covid-19 dashboard ?

There have been calls to include supplemental information on our daily dashboard.
We continue to review these requests to see how best the dashboard can be improved to provide you informative and useful data at a glance.
However, what will remain missing from the dashboard but you must know are:

1. The unprecedented ways in which our daily lives have been disrupted by Covid 19;
2. The shock and disbelief expressed by many found positive through contact tracing, some unknowingly exposed through the irresponsible behavior of others;
3. The disruption of families and businesses as key infected persons are forced into isolation, as well as the adverse physical, mental and economic fallout thereof;
4. The regrets expressed by many for listening to naysayers, or regrets at being misled by others who knew better, causing them to delay getting vaccinated;
5. The many unvaccinated persons who recover, but continue to experience long term effects of Covid;
6. The elderly and frail and the young who get infected, but who could have been protected if the ones around them, who could have been vaccinated, had done so;
7. The permanent vacuum created in the hearts of those who lost loved ones due to Covid 19, some who could have had their life spared through vaccination.
   I again make an appeal for all who can be vaccinated to do so as this is the best way to lessen the ravages of Covid 19.
   This virus is indiscriminate — it has no respect for our children, the elderly nor the frail.
   It has no respect for race, gender nor political affiliation.
   It will continue to infiltrate our weakest points which are the near thirty percent of unvaccinated adults.
   It will continue to infect our children, if we do not do all within our power to protect them.
   On the eve of school reopening, I urge every adult, especially our school teachers, to go out and get vaccinated. I also urge all parents and guardians to get their teenagers vaccinated.
   Let us focus on decreasing viral transmission by widespread use of the non pharmaceutical methods — wearing masks, frequent hand sanitizing and avoiding close contact with others.
   Let us equip ourselves with the best tool we have to provide protection against severe disease, hospitalization and death.
   This tool is the vaccine!
   Yes if you are vaccinated you may still get infected but most likely will be asymptomatic and recover quickly but it is highly unlikely that you will go on to get severe disease leading to hospitalization and death.
   Don’t hesitate! Get vaccinated!
   Dr. Cameron A. Wilkinson