Thomas C. Famous. Photo: Provided

Essentially, what the person who made the Whatsapp Voice note is saying is that the recent surge of COVID-19 was caused by the growing number of persons who have been fully immunised.

False theory

The only thing is this theory, like so many other conspiracy theories, actually holds no water.

Let's look at the Cayman Islands, where over 40,000 persons or 60 percent of the population of 65,000 have been vaccinated.

They have only two deaths and less than 550 cases.

Let's look at the [British] Virgin Islands, where 10,000 persons or 33 per cent of the population of approximately 30,000 have been vaccinated.

They have had only 1 COVID related death and less than 220 cases in total.

So, if this theory about vaccinated “shedders” causing COVID numbers to spike were true, those islands would see many positive cases and deaths.

The statistics shown prove quite the opposite.

Important to note is that both of these countries are Overseas Territories that are using the exact same Phizer Vaccine as Bermuda.

Facts over fiction

Whether one believes that could is real or thinks that vaccines are harmful, is up to the individual.

What is not up for debate, is the solemn fact that COVID has wreaked untold devastation.

Unfortunately, not just in those who have taken ill or have passed on, but also in the loss of employment, for millions around the world.

Here in Bermuda, tourist arrival figures for the first quarter of 2021have dropped by over 90 per cent as compared to last year.

What does this translate to?

It means very little, if any, work for those who work in hotels, restaurants, driving taxis, or any other tourism-related industry.

Many taxi drivers report making less than $50 per day, with expenses such as fuel eating into that meagre amount. Others simply have parked their taxis for the last few months.

From the government side of things, this steep drop in visitor arrivals equates to the following realities:

• Having to pay Aecon / Skyport 3.9 million dollars on the Minimum Revenue Guarantee (MRG)
• Having to pay out millions of dollars in Unemployment Benefits to those in the Hospitality industries.
• Loss of millions of dollars in Payroll Taxes due to hotels, restaurants, and other businesses being shut.

Costly rumours

Without a doubt, this exact same situation is playing itself out in every OT.

If we do not get our COVID-19 numbers under control, how does this benefit our people working in the hospitality industry?

It is very easy, too easy, for someone to get on their phone and send around fake information via voice notes, blaming COVID spikes on those who are immunised.

However, it is not so easy for them to present real solutions to getting our air arrivals up to where they were pre-COVID in order to get tens of thousands of persons in the region back to work.