By Mataeliga Pio Sioa
Our international travel borders are coming down in a week’s time and we are beyond whether we should do so or not.
Our quickly eroding economy cannot afford to keep us safely cocooned in isolation without keeling over on its head.
We have regurgitated the ‘what ifs and if whats’ longer than a cow would chew its cud but the end does not change.
The COVID 19 virus has pushed our health to the brink of ‘we are damned if we do we are damned if we don’t.’
Indeed, we are in a damn fine predicament.
We have decisions to make. Whether we like it or not the choices have to be made.
We can roll over and give this unhealthy world the finger and that is the easy choice. That option is for anyone without the will to fight.
The hard one is to turn that same finger around and shove it up these COVID 19 variants.
We can either rid of them once and for all or not worry anymore by the harm they pose.
Yes people are going to walk off those flights when they land at our international airport.
Behind all that cheerful smile and excited hand waving is a coronavirus that has graduated into either a BA.4 or BA.5 variant – it could be both.
As soon as bodies rub, hug or sniff each other, the doors of infection are flung wide to welcome our BA variant graduates.
But the COVID 19 pandemic has reached the point where we the human victims are not passing on these viruses unknowingly to each other. No siree!
We are doing so with full knowledge. You don’t need a university degree to know and accept that.
We have made that choice. When we decided to open our borders we made our decision to stand and fight – it is the hard option for us.
Our attack/defence weapon is knowing how to live healthy by avoiding the virus as best as possible.
There is a limit to how far our frontline workers can keep us safe. We owe them a lot of gratitude for standing guard for our health safety.
But the virus is not going away. All it is doing is mutate into new shapes and forms to wreck more harm on our human health.
When August finally comes around, the battles lines are drawn. This time we have to stand our ground as those flights start landing.
We knew for a long time what we must do but we were just being who we are – creatures of dependence for our comfort.
Not any more! We have to raise our tolerance levels to do battle and we cannot do that from inside our comfort zone.
If we are yet to complete our vaccination injections get them done.
When we have to wear a face mask wear it – the longer the better. If we have to wash up regularly to power up our body hygiene, wash up and power up.
If common sense warns against the risks of infection by mingling in a crowd or hanging out where people congregate in public, take it.
There will be casualties and we have to expect and accept that. We have to steel our resolve to be strong and healthy.
We have the run of the flu going around right now and it is another front we have to face head on in defence of our good health.
Our health leaders have pointed us already in the battle directions. The drum rolls must roll to keep our battle feet moving along.
Our economy needs to fire.
We are in battle gear against the COVID 19 to fan the dying embers and get it smoking up again.
For those of us entrusted with the management of our hard fought economic efforts for recovery manage well.
If that comes across as a warning then be warned. Our very lives are being laid on the line and it is not just for good health.
When making new monetary policies make sure they are not designed as handouts to keep wild election promises made for personal and political gains.
We are committed to face the considerable risks to our national wellbeing when the borders open next week.
Unless we stand together in this battle we will end up with much bigger problems than what we started with.
The head is already taking the lead in our determination not to roll over and surrender the fight.
For us to win, it has to come from the heart. Keep that pulse in rhythm.
Thump! Thump! Thump!