Dodelike gebreke
Die afgelope dae en weke is dit glashelder dat Namibië nie die beloofde gereedheidsvlak bereik het om ‘n derde vlaag van Covid-19-infeksies optimaal te bestuur nie.
Die tragiese verhale van smart uit die geledere van familielede geskei deur die sogenaamde “hek van pyn” buite die Katutura-staatshospitaal se isolasie-eenheid is getuienis hiervan.
Dít – saam met die oorsake van ‘n hernude gebrek aan suurstof – wys ook ‘n openbare gesondheidstelsel wat lankal op die krukkelys is, kan en sal nie vining verander nie.
Die groot beloftes van net meer as ‘n jaar gelede het nie gerealiseer nie. Inteendeel, die koors loop dalk nog hoër.
Die situasie word vererger deur ‘n gebrek aan antwoorde op vrae wat saak maak; nie net oor wat agter die “hek van hel” aangaan nie. Hoeveel mense sterf tuis? Presies watter persentasie van gesondheidspersoneel in die voorste linies is al ingeënt? Hoekom die vertraging in die bevestiging van sommige van die rekord 24 sterftes wat Dinsdag aangekondig is? Die lys is lank.
Dalk was van die mense afkomstig van klein, verafgeleë nedersettings en opvolgstappe neem tyd. Stilswye skep agterdog en speel in kritici se hande.
Owerhede kla dat mense nie gewillig is om hulself te laat inent nie. Wat word prakties gedoen om die skuheid teen te werk?
Die staking by die NBC is nou verby, maar daaglikse inligtingsessies het nie hervat nie en in landelike gebiede sal baie ander werktuie as die media ingespan moet word.
Namibië hou asem op…
So sê ander
2 Junie 2021
Lift Chicago’s 10 p.m. curfew on liquor sales
As the pandemic subsides, Chicagoans are getting back to a lot of things that were off-limits for more than a year — big family get-togethers, dining indoors at restaurants, cheering at ballgames and the like.
But one thing that was sacrificed to combat the contagion may not return.
It used to be that stores could sell liquor, wine and beer until 2 a.m. from Sunday through Friday and until 3 a.m. Saturday. But in April 2020, Mayor Lori Lightfoot banned alcohol sales after 9 p.m. in an effort to discourage groups from congregating outside liquor and convenience stores where they might spread the virus. Later, she moved the curfew to 11 p.m. But now she has proposed to impose a permanent curfew of 10 p.m.
Her rationale is not preventing disease but addressing “quality of life issues that sometimes creep up around these businesses,” as she put it, including loitering and “other illegal activity.”
After a chorus of criticism, the mayor retreated a bit.
The burden of proof for an earlier curfew is on the proponents to justify.
It’s true that some liquor stores can create a nuisance for neighbors and foster crime. But that’s no reason to penalize those that generate no problems.
Chicagoans have waited a long time to escape the suffocating strictures they have endured for so long. For some, occasionally picking up a late-night bottle or two is part of the normal life they missed. Let them get back to it.
• CHICAGO TRIBUNE
Die tragiese verhale van smart uit die geledere van familielede geskei deur die sogenaamde “hek van pyn” buite die Katutura-staatshospitaal se isolasie-eenheid is getuienis hiervan.
Dít – saam met die oorsake van ‘n hernude gebrek aan suurstof – wys ook ‘n openbare gesondheidstelsel wat lankal op die krukkelys is, kan en sal nie vining verander nie.
Die groot beloftes van net meer as ‘n jaar gelede het nie gerealiseer nie. Inteendeel, die koors loop dalk nog hoër.
Die situasie word vererger deur ‘n gebrek aan antwoorde op vrae wat saak maak; nie net oor wat agter die “hek van hel” aangaan nie. Hoeveel mense sterf tuis? Presies watter persentasie van gesondheidspersoneel in die voorste linies is al ingeënt? Hoekom die vertraging in die bevestiging van sommige van die rekord 24 sterftes wat Dinsdag aangekondig is? Die lys is lank.
Dalk was van die mense afkomstig van klein, verafgeleë nedersettings en opvolgstappe neem tyd. Stilswye skep agterdog en speel in kritici se hande.
Owerhede kla dat mense nie gewillig is om hulself te laat inent nie. Wat word prakties gedoen om die skuheid teen te werk?
Die staking by die NBC is nou verby, maar daaglikse inligtingsessies het nie hervat nie en in landelike gebiede sal baie ander werktuie as die media ingespan moet word.
Namibië hou asem op…
So sê ander
2 Junie 2021
Lift Chicago’s 10 p.m. curfew on liquor sales
As the pandemic subsides, Chicagoans are getting back to a lot of things that were off-limits for more than a year — big family get-togethers, dining indoors at restaurants, cheering at ballgames and the like.
But one thing that was sacrificed to combat the contagion may not return.
It used to be that stores could sell liquor, wine and beer until 2 a.m. from Sunday through Friday and until 3 a.m. Saturday. But in April 2020, Mayor Lori Lightfoot banned alcohol sales after 9 p.m. in an effort to discourage groups from congregating outside liquor and convenience stores where they might spread the virus. Later, she moved the curfew to 11 p.m. But now she has proposed to impose a permanent curfew of 10 p.m.
Her rationale is not preventing disease but addressing “quality of life issues that sometimes creep up around these businesses,” as she put it, including loitering and “other illegal activity.”
After a chorus of criticism, the mayor retreated a bit.
The burden of proof for an earlier curfew is on the proponents to justify.
It’s true that some liquor stores can create a nuisance for neighbors and foster crime. But that’s no reason to penalize those that generate no problems.
Chicagoans have waited a long time to escape the suffocating strictures they have endured for so long. For some, occasionally picking up a late-night bottle or two is part of the normal life they missed. Let them get back to it.
• CHICAGO TRIBUNE
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