SOURCE: Pointe FM,
Unless and until Antiguans and Barbudans become vaccinated against the COVID-19 disease, the country’s overall recovery from the pandemic will be practically impossible, according to Prime Minister Gaston Browne. He was speaking on Saturday during his weekly radio programme, The Browne and Browne Show, on PointeFM 99.1.
The Prime Minister was making the dual point of why it was impractical to lockdown the country once again in response to a recent surge in new infections, hospitalizations and deaths from the disease – and why vaccination will be crucial for Antiguans and Barbudans who are desirous of travelling abroad.
The Prime Minister said tourism, the country’s main source of economic sustenance, would fare even worse if visitors remain wary of coming to Antigua and Barbuda should the virus not be brought under control through the achievement of herd immunity.
“It means potentially that business could be redirected to other countries that achieve herd immunity before us. It also means that Antiguans and Barbudans could be precluded from travelling to certain countries because we are considered to be high risk. So, if we have low participation [in the voluntary public vaccination programme] it will have significant economic and social consequences for the country, and we will see a significant increase in hospitalizations and deaths,” he stated emphatically.
The Prime Minister referenced another local radio station where he said it had been brought to his attention that the CEO (who is a talk show host and an endorsed candidate of the political opposition) were “making a mockery of the whole issue … mixing politics and healthcare” which the head of government denounced as “incompatible.” PM Browne also dismissed reported calls by the same person for “a lockdown next Thursday and Friday … how does that really help to fight this disease?
“The call that Serpent and others should be making at this time is for us to get vaccinated as soon as possible so that we can protect lives and livelihoods. They go hand in hand. You cannot ignore livelihoods and focus exclusively on lives.… Ultimately, the focus is on lives, but at the same time you have to do both. You cannot ignore either, even though we are prioritizing lives.”
To those calling for a return to total lockdown as had been applied in the earliest days of the pandemic, Prime Minister Browne reminded that even with a more limited tightening of restrictions recently, many business operators were complaining about how the increase in curfew hours, among other measures, was adversely affecting them.
“You lock down the country, there are consequences to people. There are health consequences, job losses, people will not be able to eat.… While locking down a country may reduce the level or rate of infections, I’m not aware that it has eliminated infections in any country. There are many countries within the OECS, and the wider Caribbean area, that have had far more COVID cases than Antigua and Barbuda . . . and they are still open for business.… This has to be an issue where you use every ounce of intelligence and skill to manage the health risks and the economic risks concurrently while prioritizing the health risks.”
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We can’t accurately label the device Moderna and Pfizer are pushing as a vaccine, because both medically and legally, it’s not a vaccine!
“This is not a vaccine … using the term vaccine to sneak this thing under public health exemptions. It is a medical device designed to stimulate the human cell into becoming a pathogen creator. It is not a vaccine!
“Vaccines actually are a legally defined term … under public health law … under CDC and FDA standards, and a vaccine specifically has to stimulate both an immunity within the person receiving it, but it also has to disrupt transmission …
“They have been abundantly clear in saying that the mRNA strand that is going into the cell is not to stop transmission. It is a treatment. But if it was discussed as a treatment, it would not get the sympathetic ear of public health authorities, because then people would say “What other treatments are there?”
“The use of the term vaccine is unconscionable… because it actually is the sucker punch to open and free discourse.
This is a mechanical device, in the form of a very small packet of technology, that is being inserted into the human system to activate the cell to become a pathogen manufacturing site.
The only reason why the term [vaccine] is being used is to abuse the 1905 Jacobsen case that has been misrepresented since it was written.
If we were honest with this, we would actually call it what it is: it is a chemical pathogen device, that is actually meant to unleash a chemical pathogen production action within the cell.
It is a medical device, not a drug, because it meets the CDRH [Center for Devices and Radiological Health] definition of a device.
It is made to make you sick … 80% of the people who are exposed to allegedly the virus [SARS-Cov-2] have no symptoms at all … 80% of people who get this injected into them have a clinical adverse event.
You are getting injected with a chemical substance to induce illness, not to induce a[n] immuno-transmissive response.
In other words, nothing about this is going to stop you transmitting anything. This is about getting you sick, and having your own cells be the thing that get you sick.” –
https://luis46pr.wordpress.com/2021/01/15/the-mrna-covid-19-technology-is-not-a-vaccine/
Mr PM these people can say their nonsense in the fake world they live in. I even heard him promoting some concoction. The good thing is that is he and the UPP folks who will die from not taking the vaccine so good riddance to them.
Oh, how Cristian of you… just saying!
Guess he’s not familiar with what New Zealand, Australia and in our back yard the Federation of St.Kitts and Nevis. The number one economy in the OECS. The PM needs to do his research before talking. Maybe it’s the grass pollen have him confused! They are all members of the commonwealth. He just might learn a thing or two about crisis management by having a zoom call with those leaders. Instead of chatting off his head on pointe FM!
Clown and Clown show where those two Bobbleheads run their mouths and makeup policies .
Snakepit
Tourists are humans too, just like the returning nationals the tourists can be Asymptomatic as well and the hotels are still open….Nobody saying nothing about hospitality workers.
Shutting down the economy further hurts everyone, as does false news like the “operating system vs vacine”
The local radio offers no better coverage, it’s less than science based and dangerous to speed such non sense
You heard it, same as before. When the choice is between business staying open and Antiguan’s health and lives, the government chooses business. We know who their masters are, unfortunately it isn’t ordinary Antiguans
In my opinion the PM would be well aware of how and where the virus spread is coming from and although difficult I would suggest targeting and educating the persons most responsible for the spread. It certainly does not appear to be the “tourists” in the hotels and I would suggest that since sailing to Antigua takes time it is doubtful that the yachters are bringing it in. It makes more sense that the infections are coming in with visiting relatives who are supposedly quarantining in private homes, and those private homes may have several people (including seniors) in the residence. Everybody wants to socialize and party and of course not least of all there is a culture of shall we call it house to house and/or village to village get-togethers that need to STOP for now. As difficult as this may be for the male species of our society I do believe that a one house, one couple lifestyle is vital right now…voluntary would be good but enforcement is probably necessary to hammer home how the virus is spread. From the news accounts of covid infections and deaths it also would appear that the most likely innocent senior members of the household are suffering for the lifestyle of the younger inconsiderate members in the homes.
So, I do support the PM to eliminate lockdowns…which do not work… before it totally kills the economy and has serious psychological effects on every age group. I also think serious enforcement/targeting those who don’t want to stop multiple socializing needs to take place on a daily/nightly basis. Hopefully an example of leading monogamous lifestyles could be set by the police and members of govt. to help send the message.
Lockdowns do work and they are at the moment the only thing that has been proven to work. Are you unaware of how Australia, NZ and a number of SE Asian countriess got the infection numbers under control? The evidence is there and it is very very clear. When you want to reduce infection rates and the risk of death, lockdown the citizens and close the borders. Countries that have not done that, or reopened to soon at the behest of business leaders, condemn their citizens to illness and death. This is exactly what Antigua has done and the government has been upfront about it! We are not going to lockdown they say, because business needs to stay open, if that means more Antiguans get sick and die, so be it
Yet they (NZ) recently had to lock down (Auckland) again (Feb 14). Persons recently were found to have it, with no recent travel history. Get this: under their lockdown, people (not just essential service) still have to go to work. Since the lockdown ended on the 17th (yep 3 days), they have had about 25 new cases of covid (6 just two days ago). Active cases went from 45 on Feb 17 to 54 to 60 (as of yesterday) Must tell you that using countries who have chosen to avoid risk vs those who go the route of mitigating, is simply like comparing apples to cars. Even those choosing the avoid strategy, covid still got in
Prime minister I know you trying your best in this country I can see that. Don’t lock down just live the curfew how it is.
Try get information from the covid patients of how they get this virus if is a supermarket dey only go or this n day.
People that in quarantine prevent their families etc to see them.
Date a day business should do a clean up in there stores and area the side roads.
Get them truck ppl to wash down the bus station and so on for virus can survive on surfaces for lil amount of time.
How do you quarantine at home unless you have the house to yourself or your area is totally separate and sealed off or independent from the rest of the house .
You do not shut down the island.You shut down the Border.I have suggested for 14 days to control the spreading of the Virus.Antigua and Barbuda could afford to have the Border closed.I would think for an Economic Powerhouse.There would be enough water,food and cash on island to exists for 14 days.I am not an expert on anything.I just have an idea.That is all.Now I await to hear from you,THE EXPERTS.
Smoke and Mirrors.
Has been ever since.
We NEED politicians to please hush yuh mouth and let sensible medical folks guide us through with no politricking swaying data/protocols & whatnot.
Plenty people not listening or reading PM & Sir Health & Leknocks & MaxH & Serpent etc. etc. anymore coz they no longer believe dem trustworthy.
He need to make a case against curfew. You cannot against lock down and for curfew, because livelihoods are affected with the curfew as well. Why is it the cases rise just a few weeks before the vaccine and as soon as we have a curfew?
Mr. P.
Just lock down the country for a month… We can make this work… But wat gonna happen, its not like vqccine can stop us from wearing mask r from catching the virus…. If u say it help to fight against the virus fine… But we dont have control.
I think you should just lay low and keep everyone home apart from police and security just to monitor this virus….
The virus is already in Antigua. Like the African snails, the virus will multiply and grow. If they can’t control couple snail. Much less corona.
Last week Lovell on the Darren Matthew Ward show was trying to take credit for the PDV Carib program that was implemented under their watch. What Lovell however failed to also say is that in a few short years, litterally from 2009 to 2014 they run the program in to the ground. When the Gaston Browne adminsitration took over the balance sheet had a negative equity. Which means that the company was bankrupt. Was it not for the write-off of over $200 million from Maduro this company’s balance sheet would still be under capitalized and showing a negative equity. That how good the UPP was with a simple thing like operating a company with the simple mandate of using the funds that you have, invest it and from the interest you can then fund the various social program.
Are you picking at straws.Why instead you do not go and pick cotton.At least you would sweat for the first time in a long while.
Lockdowns don’t make no sense!!!! The world has been lockdown for a year now and how far has that gotten us? People are struggling as it is. Lockdown will only incerase hardship and thats a fact.
Dictator and traitor Gaston should be locked up.
Where are Nigel Christian’s murderers?
Where are Nigel Christian’s murderers?
Where are Nigel Christian’s murderers?
Where are Nigel Christian’s murderers?
Having listened to Mr. Corthwright Marshall today on Darren’s shows, it seems that the UPP is hell bend that if they get to run the country once again they will bankrupt PDV Caribe. Mr. Marshall said they would expand the program of the People’s Benefit program to include people effected by Covid 19. So that is quit a couple of thousand persons. And even when Darren mentioned to him that PDV is not able to buy any oil from Venezuela at the moment so no money is coming in, he said they will look for grant funding. Have you ever heard such nonsense from someone claiming to be educated in economics. So you are pomissing people something base on grant funding. And that at a time when drant funding is as good as scares.
Thank God these guys are in opposition. They have no obligation to think where all the money they promise to spend will be coming from. But it is clear to see they will knock on the IMF door within their first 24 hours in office.
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