Thread by @dfkm1970

"You are entitled to your opinion. But you are not entitled to your own facts." - Daniel Patrick Moynihan

A thread on the #COVID-19 wave in #Uganda

Our opinions can't change facts. Science does not bend to our opinions. Our opinions can't change facts that we do not like or which do not fit our preferred world view. The novel coronavirus doesn't bend to our views on economics. It isn't subject to faith or political opinion.

The second Covid-19 wave requires us to sit our (sometimes egotistical) opinions down and pay attention to facts. The novel coronavirus causes serious illness. So many people are so seriously ill that our health system is overwhelmed. The treatment is very expensive.

The majority of people who come down with COVID-19 recover. But a significant proportion of the victims die. When the numbers of infected people are high the numbers of deaths also escalate significantly. People who die of COVID-19 die a painful and lonely death.

Families have been badly hit by the grief of multiple deaths after very expensive treatment. The two hearses in the picture delivered the bodies of an uncle and aunt (siblings) of mine who died on Friday last week. They were buried next to each other on Sunday.

These things are happening to people right now. They're happening regardless of what you may think or believe. They're happening to people regardless of political opinion, religion, ethnicity or social economic class. Please put the opinions aside and pay attention to the facts.

Apply some critical thinking and logic to the situation. For example, two things can be true at the same time. Politicians may be exploiting COVID-19 to line their pockets or to gain unfair political advantage on their opponents AND COVID-19 remains a dangerous disease!

So pulling your mask down to loudly voice your opinion about how politicians are exploiting COVID-19 is endangering you and your audience because the novel coronavirus is spread by droplets and aerosols. Say what you want but please keep that mask up over your mouth and nose.

The specialist knowledge necessary to assess the best therapies or the safety of vaccines is found in universities. It is gained after years of specialised study. The guy on YouTube or in that WhatsApp audio will not teach you much. Trust the experts. Leave the charlatans.

It is also a basic fact that we, yes you and me, are the vectors of this virus. The spread of the virus is enabled or disabled by our individual action or lack thereof. So let us each be responsible to help slow down the spread of this deadly disease.

Please limit your movements and physical interaction with people outside your household to the absolute minimum. Work from home as much as YOU can if YOU can. Don't go saying other people can't work from home. If you can work from home do so. Simple.

When out and about wear a mask. Wear it properly and at all times. The mask around your chin or dangling from your ear is as useful as the mask you left at home. Again wear YOUR mask! Vva ku bya balala! If you set a good example others will follow you.

If you must physically interact with people, please practice social distancing and try to be in well ventilated spaces. The droplets can only travel so far and aerosols are dissipated by ventilation. But again limit interaction in terms of frequency, time and numbers of people.

FOMO is literally killing us! We are in the middle of a crisis. Give the functions and partying a break, please!! That wedding or graduation is not worth the UGX100M spent on a 18 day stint in ICU! The joy of a great evening cannot make up for the grief caused by premature death.

Lastly hand hygiene! Wash your hands with soap frequently. Sanitise with alcohol based gels or sprays and avoid touching your mouth, eyes and nose with unwashed/unsanitised hands.

It's a pandemic! It doesn't care what you think or what you feel.

END

Did I say "End"? Well, one last thing. Get vaccinated as soon as you can! (Tusaba Gavumenti etuyambe - make the vaccine available and please put some thought and organisation into the process)