As we all read online Zika Virus is now an international public health emergency, prompted by growing distress that it could cause birth deficiencies. We have also learned that they have urged pregnant women against travelling to about two dozen countries, mostly in Latin America and a few Caribbean, where the outbreak is growing.
Last week on Facebook we asked two questions, do you think that Zika is caused by only a mosquito and we also asked what you think about the Zika virus. Below are our readers’ comments.
Mossier:
It was said that Zika is a mosquito-transmitted infection related to dengue, yellow fever and West Nile virus from the Zika forest in Uganda in 1947. Why is there an outbreak occurring in Brazil. I have yet to understand this disease/virus whatever they claimed it is. Why is that no one on the Zika forest side of the world has been infected. Why are millions of people in tropical regions of the Americas most infected than the Uganda folks. Can somebody please tell me why? Why everyone is so focused on pregnant women.
I have yet to read articles saying scientists have confirmed a virus fighting medication to help fight Zika/dengue/etc, are our scientists just like the politicians? Why are they even called scientists when they can’t even provide virus fighting medications for cancer aids Zika and so many that have come and gone. Maybe we are their lab rats. Maybe they just start a “THING” A “1947” “2004” “1958” thing, sitting around their tables. Hey George it’s your turn to pick a date to start a virus. I have one question, why?
Bobby Charlemagne:
So I heard that Zika can be sexually transmitted? My only question, is it classified as an STD or what?
Rebecca:
Well I want to know if the Zika virus causes microcephaly , cause I have watched so many inside videos in Brazil where mothers claimed that they had no Zika and the babies came out with microcephaly. Remember when a baby had microphaly before he or she would not last for 24 hours..but why all those 3500+ babies have the same issue claimed to be from Zika.
A mother also said she had the Zika, was only sick for one day, did her ultrasound; doctors told her everything was fine until she gave birth to a microcephaly baby. Poor babies. I don’t think Zika is the only thing making the babies’ brain damaged, Something else is going on.
Jody:
I’ve been reading on this virus ever since the day I heard about it but most of those experts do not know how the virus enters the placenta and damages the growing brain of the foetus but still claim Zika is the cause. That’s just some confusing piece of “you know what”.
Conversation Starters
CITIZENSHIP BY INVESTMENT
My Question is, what are your views or what do you understand by the term Citizenship by Investment?
(NB: if you are not acquainted with the term CIP send me a message on Whatsapp or in the fb inbox)
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
What can we do to curb domestic violence? Are the mere passing of laws enough? Where are the organizations that ought to be advocating for women and children in our society? Why is domestic violence so prevalent in our society, anyway? Tell us.
Suicide
Suicides have become the most pressing social problem facing St Lucia today.
It simply is appalling the number of people who are opting to end their lives..
But most alarming is the fact that as a nation, we have done nothing to try to determine the cause of this new problem in our midst. Apart from a few professional people appearing on television with bits of advice, we seem to have accepted that suicide must now become a way of life, or rather, a way of death, in St Lucia.
There is no question, however, that something needs to be done to bring this matter under some kind of control. It is a serious indictment on a country when so many of its citizens are taking their own lives, for whatever reason.
We need to hear from the people with power, the government, about this development. Is the government aware of what is going on? It does not seem so judging by the fact that there has been no official reaction that we can recall, far less a promise to attempt to halt the trend.
What do you, the reader, think? Tell us. Why are so many of our people taking their lives and what can be done about it?
The State Of Politics In St. Lucia
Why is there such a resentment among the population to the quality of our politics? When did this trend really begin and what is the reason for it? Surely the quality of politics is dependent on the quality of persons we elect to office. Is there anything that can be done at this stage to entice people back to the polling booths? Let’s face it, bad officials are elected by good citizens who do not vote. An American clergyman Howard Crosby once said that to let politics become a cesspool, and then avoid it because it is a cesspool; is a double crime. It means that we, the people, have the responsibility for righting our own wrongs.
So where do we go in St. Lucia? With another general election fast approaching, should we not assume this responsibility and pressure political parties into presenting us with candidates who will uplift public discourse and so raise the standard of politics. But considering the fact that political parties seem to care so little what the public thinks about such issues, is there another way to bring them to heel?
HEALTH CARE
The public is waiting anxiously for two hospitals, one in the north and the other in the south, to become operational. The new national hospital has been idle for months. What is the reason for this state of affairs?
Do we have our priorities right as far as improving health care is concerned? What is the real state of our hospitals? Are people dying for want of better health care? Tell us what you think.
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