How to beat COVID-19 is not rocket science

THE EDITOR, Madam:

THE RECENT spike in coronavirus cases across Jamaica is cause for great concern; however, I believe that we can beat this horrible plague which continues to challenge us physically, economically and psychologically, and the answer is quite simple: TEST FREQUENTLY and get RAPID RESULTS.

There is empirical evidence that COVID-19 will diminish and disappear completely, once the spread has been contained and the virus has no new host in which to incubate and spread.

Therefore, we must aggressively employ every method available to quickly identify and isolate or quarantine any person who has tested positive for the virus.

There are several pharmaceutical companies in Canada and Switzerland that have already developed reliable rapid-test kits, and 3M in the USA is also being persuaded to make rapid-test kits available to every American at an affordable price, so the Government of Jamaica needs to pursue a similar initiative.

In a recent interview with Fared Zakaria on CNN, Professor of epidemiology at Harvard University, Dr Michael Mina, highlighted the importance of obtaining rapid test results within minutes, versus waiting several days or weeks for laboratory results, which allows for someone who is positive to continue to spread the virus many times – most times unknowingly.

We don’t have to be rocket scientists to figure out that if we abide by the basic rules of wearing a mask, social distancing, washing hands and making rapid testing frequently available to all health, security, tourism and business entities, we will very soon have defeated and eradicated COVID19 from our shores.

The only challenge that we really face now is convincing those in authority to just do it, and do it with alacrity, and make it MANDATORY that everyone employed in the health and tourism industries be frequently tested with reliable rapid-test kits.

MICHAEL C. MOYSTON

‘We must aggressively employ every method available to quickly identify and isolate or quarantine any person who has tested positive for the virus.’