We have had our first case of Corvid – 19 on the 9th of March.
Despite blocking cruise ships and having travel bans, in pops a woman who has flown home from England for a funeral.
She sat on a plane, she sat on a bus, she stayed in a house and went to a funeral. Feeling sick, she went to a medical centre and became Patient Zero.
The rumours started, the Prime Minister came on television to calm, everyone went crazy and then there was another, unrelated case of someone in the American Embassy.
Everyone went crazier than before and by the 11th people were buying two dozen rolls of toilet paper at a crack, loading up on every possible disinfectant until supermarkets posted limits.
People are wearing masks, some using their bandannas, so it is hard to determine who is a customer and who is a robber.
People are selling bottles of alcohol for $500 each, calling radio stations to spread the panic. Supermarkets have hand sanitisers and guards to make you use it.
There are now Eight confirmed cases; two guys from Trinidad who arrived via Malaysia via Dubai and London, a guy from London, a local who came by ship from the Canary Islands via Portugal and Miami, the father of patient zero and a friend of hers.
Schools have been closed, sporting events and dances are cancelled, and everyone is a step from hysteria, save those who are a half step.
Communicating with people all over the world I take a twisted comfort in knowing Jamaica isn’t the only place going crazy.
The whole world is panicking including here in Canada. When governments buildings and schools etc are now empty. BTW as long as you wash your hands with jyst hand soap or even dish soap you should be OK. It is just a matter of taking precautions and not going nuts. After all more people die from influenza each year than the now dreaded coronovirus.
I am only going out to the supermarket very early, before the crowds and then staying in virtual solitary confinement. Washing my hands, wiped down the house with disinfectant, trying not to panic.
That is great because it is the only thing you can do to avoid contagion
I’ve become a shut in. And now the news is on, and they’ve quarantined 7/8 miles Bull Bay…(area East of Kingston).
I sympathize with your predicament but it is the only thing to do basically. I know it is very hard to become a shut in but at this stage it is the only thing to do and also pray that the coming summer will see a relief of the virus…
The panic is here it seems. Take care.
This morning I was communicating with people from all over the world; Germany, Phillipines, Malyasia, America, Ireland… and every place is as crazy as Jamaica.
Jamaica isn’t crazy because Kenya has confirmed its first incident by a Kenyan woman who flew to Kenya from London via USA. The government has warned traders against increasing prices of commodities.
The same thing here, although many people, especially higglers (people who sell on the road or in little leantos) are doing it. And most disinfectants are missing from the shelves. I am lucky that a neighbour shared some with me.
I hope the government will ensure it doesn’t get out of control. I don’t think many here know about disinfectants and many don’t observe prevention measures.
No. Jamaica is not the only place going crazy. But the people selling bottles of alcohol for $500 should be put in jail! If they get beat up or their stores get broken into and people just take the alcohol, they should be blamed for provoking the attack! They brought it on themselves. I’m not encouraging violence. But it’s really more like an act of self-defense. It’s a matter of human rights. OK. Yeah, I said that! I take full responsibility for my words.
Congratulations! This is the first post I ever clicked the Cry button for. I’m upset!
People buy up stuff, and when the store is empty they sell on the roadside for a whole heap. Why can’t they find some cure for it? If they know what it is, why can’t they cure it?