On my Mind on Monday

The numbers are climbing, since March 8th for example, 17, 50, 50, 45, 48, 56, and yesterday 19. Notice, during weekends, the numbers are always low. Unfortunately, we’ve had 30 people die from Covid19 related issues in the first 11 weeks of 2021.

Sure, we are testing, so we are getting more positives, but we should test as early as possible to prevent the spread and the need to close schools unexpectedly, like St. Dominicus College, that was just forced to shut down.

During a Thursday press conference, the question was asked, why are the numbers climbing, and the response was that new strains are more contagious, and they are doing the rounds here. But it is also possible that vaccinations are giving people a false sense of security, to lower their guard and that Covid19 fatigue takes its toll. The Police had to shut down dancing, in a bar downtown, this weekend.

All that even before the March 18th holiday. Imagine what will take place after?

Perhaps the crisis team should announce extra measures, in honor of the holiday.

The press conference starred MinPres and MinTvs, DVG and ATA.

Our First Servant gave a good overview of the measures taken by Aruba to combat the spread of the virus over the past year, and celebrated achievements. In my book she deserves credit for sound pandemic management. Aruba is much better off than other Caribbean Islands and we’re lucky to have been assigned the Pfizer vaccine, not AstraZeneca’s, whose use was discontinued in several countries, pending further explorations.

What did I learn at the press conference? We currently have 26 testing locations on the island. More than 30,000 locals registered in the Health App, more than 13.000 locals, 60+, got their first shot, we just received additional 12,870 doses, on March 9th, and will be receiving 11,700 on March 23rd, with 12.870 following between April 6th and 13th. We’re in good shape. Thanks to the Dutch kingdom.

(We should keep our fingers crossed that nothing changes in the political landscape there, with three-day elections in just two days, let’s hope that premier Rutte is set to capture his 4th term in office.)

By the relatively slow pace of Health App registration, I understand that there is some anti-vac sentiment, or a ‘let’s wait and see’ attitude among locals, who are not rushing for their turn to be pricked. Their resistance will surely evaporate when the airlines mandate a vaccine.

I already see on Booking.com, that hotels are welcoming vaccinated guests, and requiring all others to show a negative result from 48 hours prior to check-in.

When the airlines mandate vaccinations, the skepticism, and hesitation will disappear.

On an island awash with Botox, injectable dermal fillers and slimming Injections, the standoffish attitude towards the life-saving Covid19 vaccine is just that, a flimflam attitude, not a deep-seated conviction, so if we keep talking about it, most people will comply.

One last comment about the press conference: Media member Sharina Henriquez is among the island’s only investigative journalists. She is the real deal. She pursues and prints truths, not just opinions. She posed a few questions at the conference, in Dutch and in Papiamento, addressing MinPres who is fluent in Dutch, first, then questioning MinTvs, who is, I guess, unsure about his Dutch.  What followed wasn’t pretty. MinTvs got huffed and puffed, lecturing the reporter about being better prepared, and educating herself before addressing the gods. Then he answered, in a patronizing, irritated and impatient tone.

Why?

Because, she is a woman, soft spoken, but made out of steel under the nonthreatening façade, and she can write.

During this past year, we witnessed DOZENS of press conferences in which male reporters assaulted officials with hundreds of SILLY, unprepared, repetitive questions. I don’t remember a single official complaining, or getting irritated, they just went on to repeat and reiterate, patiently.

Yet, Sharina stepped on MinTvs toes. There is a story there.

I am a columnist, I don’t need to look into this, Sharina, as a journalist, would have gotten to the bottom of the hostility!

Share on:

March 15, 2021
Rona Coster