The Head of the lab at the Mount St. John Medical Centre and the Chairman of the National Technical Working Group on COVID-19, Dr. Lester Simon, is describing as “madness” the Government’s intention to allow the staging of fetes.
In a Facebook post tagged “I come out to pay,” the known-to-be-outspoken doctor is asking how officials will be able to police the fetes, given that they were unable to monitor a yacht that sailed with Indian businessman Mehul Choksi.
“Madness is dancing across the land. I hear they [are] planning a fete for hundreds of vaccinated people. How are they going to police that when they can’t even police a yacht sailing from Antigua to Dominica?” the medical practitioner asks.
Simon is concerned that those who have not yet been vaccinated will be able to breach the protocols established for fully vaccinated people at the venue.
“What kind of mas’ they playing? Jab jab or jook fu jook? Since I small I hear man crashing fete, including free fete,” Simon says.
According to Dr. Simon, the authorities must be joking since they plan on hosting Carnival this year, as well.
He expresses concern that, based on the frolic and drinking that take place at these fetes, masks will be destroyed, and this could become a mass spreader event.
The experts have already indicated that, even fully vaccinated, one can still catch and shed the virus. All the vaccine does is prepare the body for the virus and prevent hospitalizations and deaths.
Therefore, Dr. Simon says, whoever is “planning this nonsense must be told that this plan is a eulogy to nonsense.”
The doctor says he understands people’s anxiety to get back to their normal lives, but having a fete in these COVID-19 times is not prudent.
He asks whether bands will play for free and adds, “The best band you can get, for free, for this occasion is called COVID-19 and The Variants.”
“It’s all a dream on monkey mountain. Alice in Wonderland. Or, to be grammatically correct, it is a louse in wonderland, who thinks this is a good idea,” Dr. Simon concludes.
Meanwhile, promoters were on State television earlier this week outlining plans for the staging of the first fete, set for July 16. This event, said to be a blueprint for other fetes to come, will accommodate 300 people.
All events going forward will be held outdoors. The prerequisite for the events is that all attendees will have to be fully vaccinated –
meaning they have received both shots. These persons will include entertainers and other persons working at the venue, such as catering staff, police and security officers.
The promoters say that persons will still be required to wear masks, even in their bubbles, and will have to go through temperature checks. Hand-sanitizing stations will be set up throughout the venue, it was noted.
Additionally, those attending the function will have to purchase their tickets at least 48 hours in advance to facilitate the required checks by Ministry of Health officials.
In order to avoid crowding, the promoters say no tickets will be sold at the venue
Meanwhile, a task force has been set up to ensure that promoters are complying with the respective regulations. Any promoter who breaches these rules will be subject to a $5,000 penalty. (REAL NEWS)
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Excellent Mr Simon they out of order..
I agree with Dr. Simon…. it is a New Virus, still in Research mode.
I totally agree with you Dr.Simon The virus is still around.I dont see the sense in taking the vaccine when you still can ketch the virus.Let us not be all fooled by the Government who are in fact hiding alot from the citizens and residents of this Country.Some of the covid deaths are related to persons who would have already taken the vaccine.I am not forcing any one but just a reminder it is voluntary and not mandatory.What happens to one who takes the vaccine then become very ill then die.Then the Government will say they are not responsible right.Guys think about yall future.Think about your children and your family.Guys put God first then your health.Your health is very important.
I strongly agree
THE THINGS THAT ARE IMPORTANT TO SOME PEOPLE
Dr Simon, always one to not mince words. Man walks and talks straight. Find myself lately disagreeing with him on these two issues: CDC new mandate regarding the vaccinated and masks and now this fette issue. He consistently rightfully raises the same issue regarding policing. However he fails to see the value these things provide in helping to increase the # of persons who get vaccinated. These things provide incentives for persons to get vaccinated which has to be the focus. Agree though that we must ensure we don’t drop the ball and ensure proper control methods are in place.
@tenman I don’t know if I understand or agree with your line of reasoning. If I get you correctly, you are saying that it is okay to create a possibly super-spreader event in order to encourage people to get vaccinated?
Even if all attendees are fully vacinnated, we already have evidence (google Seychelle news) where the worlds most vaccinated country had to go bad into lockdown and nearly 40% of the cases were from fully vaccinated individuals.
Perhaps this dry run might teach us a lesson but the only thing with that the innocent will suffer for the guilty.
JBS respect but I have followed the Seychelles incident and there is no support for your argument. Reason is we have no idea what strain of the virus they are dealing with there and there is evidence that the SA strain is in Seychelles. Also as of 3 days ago, the report is no one who is fully vaccinated has died from covid, in Seychelles. Anyway there is now compelling evidence to show that covid vaccines not only protect against major illness, they actually significantly lessen the spread. Shedding is less in persons who are fully vaccinated.
The shows we are looking at putting on are happening i places like the the US and UK, and covid is actually declining due to more persons getting vaccinated. This is a major reason why the CDC removed the mask mandate for vaccinated persons. The issue though is if we have a situation, and there is no evidence of such, that we end up with the SA strain. I strongly feel, but will defer to the dr, that at this point we should be engaging in exercises like this which would encourage persons to get vaccinated. Unlike the Dr. I think its unfair to compare an arena to our open beaches, which I think you will agree, are much more difficult to police.
I agree with you DR….NO FETES OR EVEN A SMIGET OF CARNIVAL SHOULD BEENTERTAINED OR DISCUSSED.
PPL ARENT EVEN TAKING THE VIRUS SERIOUS TO BE RESPONSIBLE ENOUGH TO GET VACCINATED ….
NO CARNIVAL
NO FETES UNTIL HERD COMMUNITY IS REACHED .
THE PM NEEDS TO STOP CAVING AND BE MORE FIRM.
NO VACCINE NO FETES NO CARNIVAL NO JOUVERT
…it’s not only the “fetes or carnival” should be of concern!
There is CARIFESTA(has this being cancelled)?
The Cruise Industry is opening up!(Please be removed, that when cruise ships dock, the rum bars, brothers, restaurants and Limers on the street have their #Fetes too).
In the words of #Burning Spear, “the world is trouble, and living ain’t easy!”
We all want to have our cake and eat it. We want things to get back to normal with fetes and carnival and all but we do not want to take the vaccine. We rubbish the government attempt to offer incentives so that people can get vaccinated and things normalized sooner rather than later. Government need not pander to these fete organizers and promoters . The overall Health status of the nation is far more important than a fete or even Carnival. Governments have to make the right call…it might not be popular but it is prudent. The staging of any fetes in this climate of Covid without the necessary protocols is a recipe for disaster. I applaud Dr Simon on his forthrightness.
On this issue, Dr. Simon IS the VOICE OF THE PEOPLE. Whoever had this dumb idea needs to good kick in the ass. Fire that person! We are in a pandemic. If somebody is trying to make political advantage out of this, they need a good shake up. This is NOT fete time. THIS IS A PANDEMIC.
At least someone among them have some sense and is not afraid to call nonsense as such. Where is the CMO in all this? What really is her job? Leadership is so lacking in this country.
Ya damn right Dr. Simon. I see another poster wrote “The things that are important to some people.” If that ain’t the truth. A disease that has killed millions of people, a disease that can be so insidious and we have doubted the figures from time to time believing them to be higher than reported. A matter of fact, a recent “audit” caused our mortality rate to increase significantly but now we want to go partying? No, man. Antiguans don’t have any value for their lives.
Dr. Simon needs to learn how to write and speak clearly, not in riddles and literary and other allusions.
As far as I can gather, his concern seems to boil down to a fear that these events will not be properly policed and that unvaccinated people will inevitably get in. This is not an unwarranted concern, but surely it is not an insuperable one. The authorities must simply be very strict, allowing no exceptions. If they are, I see no reason why these events cannot take place.
And I don’t think bubbles inside these events are needed. If you believe in the effectiveness of the vaccines and entry will be 100 per cent strictly limited to the fully vaccinated, I don’t see why they are needed. Is the concern with variants? But shouldn’t that be addressed by the protocols governing entry into the country?
PEOPLE ALL OF YOU NEED TO TRY JESUS EVERYONE TALKING ABOUT VACINATION THE VACCINE IS NOT A CURE IT’S THE NUMBER OF THE BEAST ….ALL YOU NEED TO START STAND UP FOR JESUS…..READ REVELATION 13 ….PLEASE TAKE YOUR SOUL SALVATION SERIOUSLY, JESUS SOON COME WHEN HE STANDS UP FROM HIS FATHER AND SAY IT IS FINISH THAT IS THE TIME HE BE SEALING HIS PEOPLE THAT’S WHEN THE NATIONAL SUNDAY LAW IS ENFORCED ALL YOU WANT TO FACE THE SEVEN LAST PLAGUES FROM GOD’S WRATH …MAN WRATH BAD BUT GOD’S WRATH WORSE BECAUSE NO BODY CAN STAND FOR YOU AGAINST HIM BUT HE CAN STAND FOR YOU AGAINST MAN …THINK ABOUT IT…..NO BETTER IS THERE TO COME STOP LISTENING TO MANKIND AND STUDY GOD’S WORD
Please take heed,lest we fall. Now is not the time to be planning for fetes. Antigua has not seen the second and or third waves of Covid-19.Please proceed with caution. A fete lasts but for a day. The ramifications from a FETE could lasts for a lifetime.Dr Simon has always been a straight shooter. Even when the odds are stacked against him. He has been that way for a very long time.That man is not afraid to speak.
That doesn’t start there. it starts from the top. The entire current govt is rubbish. They are lead by none other than world dictator traitor tyrant liar Gaston Browne and behind the scenes are other people like Robin the Hood Yearwood, More Lies Joseph, Elmo Michael et al. that are continuously ruining our nation. Nothing but creative enrichment scheming going on for decades.
It’s time we stop being their financial slaves.
I sure some ah ah you wudda well go d fete if ah you get free ticket or ah you wudda wutliss enough fuh sell d free ticket so somebaddy else can go.
My only issue is only certain promoters allowed to make money meanwhile they sending ppl to check out & seize the poor man bread making. Jime and he “crew” have one set a crab in a barrel mentality. Since then alone fa cash out, They can’t get my money!.
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