COVID-19: How should we live during this time of transition

Mar 20, 2022 Dr Zulfikar Bux, Features / Columnists

By Dr. Zulfikar Bux
Emergency Medicine Specialist

COVID-19 cases are at an all time low in Guyana and the country has eased all restrictions. However, this doesn’t mean that COVID-19 is over and we can throw all caution to the wind. The risks posed by COVID-19 are now low enough here, that legislated restrictions can ease. But the virus is still circulating and we cannot ignore it altogether. The goal is to find the balance between living freely but smartly enough to mitigate our chances of becoming a victim to COVID-19. Today, I will share my thoughts on how to best transition as we start to figure out how to live with this disease.
Determine your risk level
COVID-19 will still continue to take lives for the foreseeable future. While the hospitalisations and deaths should be manageable, there are certain people whose risk of having a bad outcome is high and should take more precautions than others. The following persons are still vulnerable to COVID-19:
· Elderly
· Those with co-morbid conditions (HIV, Obesity, Chronic kidney disease etc.)
· The unvaccinated, especially those with no recent COVID-19 infection
· Those that live with high-risk persons should protect them by taking precautions
If you’re in any of the categories above, then you should continue to practice preventative measures until this disease is fully endemic.
Should you still vaccinate?
If you were recently infected with COVID-19 during the Omicron wave, then you currently have the best immune protection against COVID-19 and getting vaccinated now is not as vital as it may be for others. The Omicron wave helped push us to the so called “herd immunity” we were trying to achieve and there aren’t many persons left for the virus to infect. Hence, the reason for the low infection numbers currently. However, those that are uncertain, unvaccinated, or incompletely vaccinated, should get vaccinated until they are fully boosted.
What about wearing mask?
Mask wearing saved many lives during the worst of the pandemic and will continue to do so in the foreseeable future. However, it comes with discomfort and does hinder freedom of life. We now need to think about masks like an umbrella; when it’s raining, you have it on and when it’s sunny, you do not have to use it. While it’s sunny in most of Guyana, it’s still wise to wear your mask if you’re in any of the following environments:
· Closed spaces with poor free flow of air
· Hospital and other medical institutions
· Very crowded spaces
There is no need for masks when you are in the open and it’s not crowded. But do have your mask with you in the event that your environment changes and it becomes “rainy”. Also, be compassionate to those that still wear mask as their rainy day may only be cloudy for you.
Is the threat from the BA.2. variant real?
The U.S and most of the western world are now seeing a rise in cases from the Omicron BA.2. variant which is sub variant of Omicron. It is like the sister to the Omicron BA.1. variant that we would have recently experienced here in Guyana. It is more infectious but is not more life threatening or rapidly spreading. It’s just a matter of weeks before it reaches us here and causes a rise in case numbers. However, the numbers should not be as severe as those of the Omicron wave since it doesn’t reinfect those that were previously infected with Omicron BA.1. Given the large number of persons that were infected during the Omicron wave, only a small proportion of our population should be vulnerable to infection from Omicron BA.2.
The skies are clearer and the light can be seen at the end of the tunnel. Once we act smartly, there is no reason why we cannot transition into living freely again knowing that we can “take our umbrellas out for a bit if the storm comes”.