There is an increasing feeling of unease in the Barbadian community as COVID-19 infection numbers and deaths continue to rise. And while there is a great deal of referencing to “learning to live with COVID” it is not as simple as the slogan suggests.The disruption to life and livelihoods, the multiple fatalities, the impact on the population’s mental health, the economic destabilisation that it has caused, have all coalesced to present a most gloomy picture as we enter the holiday season.Barbadians enjoy this time of the year and look forward with great anticipation to the festive season. It is a time for shopping, acquiring new items for the home, gift giving, and of course, welcoming home friends and family from overseas.But this year, there is great deal of nervousness and anxiety. And one can empathise with those who are wondering whether the exhilaration of the season will be abruptly halted by the spread of the viral disease, as occurred last year.
