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THE EDITOR: Open letter to the Prime Minister and the Ministry of Health.
I write this letter to offer a possible suggestion on coping with our public health crisis. As a current student pursuing a master’s degree in public health, measures need to be adjusted in order to provide a better outcome for our people. My first suggestion is to open the beaches. I say this as a medical practitioner firstly, as a mother secondly and as a concerned citizen thirdly.
Beaches can be opened during the week from 6 am to three pm. They can be limited to places such as Maracas, Las Cuevas and all others that have lifeguard facilities on short spans of beaches. By opening retail sections on August 16, more people have been working and would therefore be unable to visit the beaches during work hours. Beaches should be closed on weekends and public holidays to prevent large crowds and thus minimise the spread of covid19.
In an April article in the Washington Post, K Brulliard and L Bernstien wrote, “...many scientists and public health experts...say that the outdoor spaces now warming under spring sun should be viewed as havens in the battle against a stubborn virus and restriction-induced fatigue.
“For more than a year, the vast majority of documented coronavirus clusters have been linked to indoor or indoor-outdoor settings, households, meatpacking plants, nursing homes and restaurants. Near-absent are examples of transmission at beaches and other open spaces where breezes disperse airborne particles, distancing is easier, and humidity and sunlight render the coronavirus less viable.”
Mr Prime Minister, by opening beaches you are allowing your citizens who are your people to stay mentally and emotionally stable. Our country has been in this state of depression for almost two years, thus families are struggling mentally, emotionally, financially and physically.
As a primary healthcare physician, I am aware that many people are suffering with depression, anxiety and mental illnesses due to covid19’s severely negative impacts on each of our Lives. As stated in an October 29 article in the Guardian, “Psychologists are reporting a worrying increase in the number of children exhibiting mental illnesses such as depression and anxiety since the onset of the covid19 pandemic.
“Guardian Media was informed by mental health professionals that children as young as seven years old are going to therapy or counselling to help them cope. There have been reports of multiple teenagers ending their lives and engaging in self-harm in recent months.
“According to one psychologist, who spoke off the record, they are currently seeing as many as 100 clients under the age of 18 years old. Clinical psychologist Dr Peter Weller described the issue as a worsening one.”
An article by A Romano in August states, “Researchers and psychologists have been saying that getting into nature every day is a great way to boost your mood, and that includes a nice walk on the beach. A new study from researchers at the Barcelona Institute for Global Health has found that even a short walk on the beach can benefit your overall mental health and fight depression.”
As our Prime Minister you should do what’s best for your citizens. By keeping beaches closed, many are unable to escape mental illness. Many families cannot go to water parks, etc and have thus been stuck at home within four walls for the past two years.
By opening the beaches and possibly wet hiking trails you are opening an avenue for us to de-stress and relax.
As a doctor working in a covid19 facility during the pandemic, I am exhausted mentally, physically and emotionally. Public healthcare workers are overworked and frustrated and here comes the delta strain.
We all do not have money to rent beach houses or pool houses for our family to relax in a safe environment. Beaches can be made a safe environment for our citizens with adequate measures from lifeguards.
Please consider this at your next Cabinet meeting.

DR ALI

via e-mail
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