Why is it taking so long to get on-island testing?
I HAVE two questions:
1) As a small island, Guernsey should be in a position to contain this virus. I recently returned to Guernsey from Madeira, where hotels were ridding themselves of foreign guests and tourists were to leave the island. When I got to Guernsey Airport there was nobody to tell us what to do, we simply got taxis or family cars and went home. Why was there nobody to instruct us to self-isolate, to take our names? Such a simple thing to do. Not everybody is going to read the Press or even take self-isolating seriously, e.g. someone with an alcohol problem – are they going to stay home?
2) Why is it taking so long for Guernsey to get resources to set up and be able to test for the virus?
I know testing is complex but the majority would be caught.
Deputy Gavin St Pier told me that Guernsey had applied weeks ago for the testing kit, which is en route and is still weeks away. Why?
In the meantime we just let anybody in and talk about older people self-isolating, keeping distance from people, close down schools and the rest, which does nothing except add to the panic and fear.
SUSAN MUMFORD
(Ex-NHS Principal Clinical Psychologist, St George’s Hospital, London).
Les Vieux Landes,
La Lande,
Vale,
GY3 5BQ.
