As Caribbean countries face varying degrees of pushing back from recalcitrant pockets of the population over clinging to addicts believed to be important in reducing the impact of COVID-19, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) warns that countries that cannot effectively enforce captivity. it could potentially face acceleration of the pandemic as well as the emergence of new strains of the virus.
And PAHO Director Dr Carissa Etienne urges political leaders in the hemisphere to act transparently in 2021, a year in which they said they will “face difficult choices as we work to flatten the transition curve.” It is important, says the Director of PAHO, that the public understands the decisions made by political leaders “and the scientific evidence behind those decisions, so that we can rally people around a shared plan.”