Al Miller wants J’cans to get creative in COVID fight

Noted pastor, the Reverend Dr Al Miller, is calling on the Government to be more agile and transparent with the management of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19).

Miller believes that Jamaicans should attempt to be more innovative with the fight against the virus.

"We are doing nothing different today than we did eight months ago. So I'm calling on our leaders to revisit and open new conversations around the approach to the COVID-19 crisis, as the one source of information, the WHO, can no longer be accepted as the only source of credible information after eight months," Miller told THE STAR.

Miller said that he is particularly concerned about the education system and those students who would not be able to keep up based on changes brought on by the pandemic.

EDUCATE THE PEOPLE

Schools have been closed since March 13 as part of measures to contain the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19). The reopening date has been set for October 5, but that now seems unlikely as the country is experiencing a surge in COVID-19 cases. Health Minister Dr Christopher Tufton has said that the community spread phase, which means that the virus is now hard to trace, could run for up to three months.

Miller believes the Government should invest more in educating the populous about the importance of strengthening their immune systems.

"It is that the stronger the immune system the less likely it is to contract a virus, and it that is why children and young people are at a least risk. But yet, there is no serious education. Tell persons about improving their immune systems and things that we know can be done," he said. "Granny used to tell we some things that work and there are scientific evidence to prove as well."

He added: "The principle is there are always alternative ways to treat any condition or any problem in the world. Nothing that comes up in the world only has one way to deal with it, but yet still we are only listening to one source. We should thank them and respect them, but there are other things that can be done. So stop, ask questions and not just accept what we are told externally because we could possibly do it a better way."

Jamaica has embraced the universally accepted methods of sanitisation, mask-wearing, physical distancing and the restriction of movement as the main tools in the fight against COVID-19.