65th Year -- No. 3571 Tuesday, April 28, 2020 www.mauritiustimes.com facebook.com/mauritius.times 16 Pages - ePaper MAURITIUS TIMES "Nothing in life is to be feared, it is only to be understood. Now is the time to understand more, so that we may fear less." - Marie Curie Pandemic controversies: Trump, WHO & China Interview: Kugan Parapen Air Mauritius: ‘Vulture investors are already lined up The WHO reputation may take years to to devour the injured rebuild, but in view of its vital health and sanitary importance to the world, a animal’ full independent post-pandemic inquiry F See page 8-9 should be on the cards By S. Callikan F See page 4 Diagnostic d'Air Mauritius Quelle thérapeutique pour Interview: Dr Pierrot Chitson sauver la compagnie ? “We are in a pandemic situation: this means we have to remain vigilant” F See page 5-7 Par Aditya Narayan F Voir page 3 Mauritius Times Tuesday, April 28 , 2020 www.mauritiustimes.com Edit Page facebook.com/mauritius.times 2 Putting the Country First What causes a ‘second wave’ f the pandemic crisis has been seen as a enquiry, for example, into the gross misma- of disease outbreak? wake-up call to change the way we do nagement practices as regards human Ithings, and change for the better, then resources, procurements, governance and ollowing the emergence and rapid this logic must apply to all aspects of the run- finance that have plagued the company for spread of Covid-19, several coun- ning of the country, and across all sectors. the past several years. What were the duty Ftries have succeeded in bringing Change does not occur in the abstract – it and the role of the country’s leadership? local outbreaks under control. The most should be self-evident that it is people who These and other queries are likely to be dramatic of these is China, where large must first change for it to become a move- swept under the carpet if there is a gou- scale restrictions on people’s movement ment that then spreads throughout an orga- vernement d’unité nationale, which is defi- appear to have halted domestic transmis- nisation, the country, its institutions and so on. nitely a bad idea. sion. We are currently confronted with some One must separate the call for a unity of South Korea, Singapore and Taiwan ted, trigger a second wave of Covid-19. critical issues upon which the future of the purpose and a spirit of national solidarity that also had early success containing local A recent modelling study indicated a country hinges. the pandemic has imposed on us, which are outbreaks, using a combination of exten- second peak of infection might arrive in valid subjective sentiments, from the need to sive contact tracing, testing, border As if Covid-19 was not enough, we now Wuhan by mid-year if interventions were press for in-depth investigations into the measures and differing degrees of social have the Air Mauritius downfall on our hands. lifted too quickly. This flagship of the Mauritian nation ought chronic malfunctions in organisations and distancing. not to have been subjected to this fate – for institutions, make them accountable and However, Covid-19 is now wide- During the 1918 influenza pandemic, indeed, the airline has been a victim since demand the implementation of the changes spread across the globe, and these coun- it was the second wave that was the the caisse noire affair was uncovered in the that are needed to get things going in the tries remain at risk of a second wave of largest and most deadly. But that proba- wake of the fraud at the MCB involving NFP right direction again – and for good, with re- infections, sparked either by overseas bly won’t happen today. As we learn more funds at the beginning of the 21st century. gular parliamentary oversight, including arrivals or undetected pockets of infec- about Covid-19, we become better From then on, the top concern of those run- about the fate of the stimulus packages, from tion. placed to control its transmission. an aware Opposition. Or patriotic back- ning the company and other stakeholders, What causes a second wave of If a rapid increase in transmission is including some union representatives, benchers. detected in China, it’s likely authorities seems to have been how much to extract On the other hand, of major concern is a disease outbreak? would quickly reintroduce the restrictions from it in terms of money and perks. Dubious the easing of the lockdown that is forth- Infectious diseases spread via con- that successfully contained the first wave. appointments on the governing board, politi- coming. It will have to be carefully calibrated, tact between infectious and susceptible Preventing a second wave cal interference in the day-to-day running of people. In the absence of any control and it goes without saying that the public of Covid-19 the airline, questionable recruiting practices, health framework that will underpin this measures, an outbreak will grow as long hedging with respect to fuel provision, ill- phase of the pandemic is going to be crucial. as the average number of people When the first wave of an outbreak is judged fleet expansion without any long-term In an interview to this paper, Dr Pierrot infected by each infectious person is sufficiently large, then enough of the po- vision - all were aligned with the same mind- Chitson, a Consultant Physician who has greater than one. pulation could become immune that there set of using the company as a vache-à- wide experience in nationwide screening If people who recover generate a pro- are too few susceptible people remaining traire. Unfortunately, it is not the only orga- and epidemiological surveillance – which he tective immune response, the outbreak to fuel a second wave. But the potential nisation or institution which has seen rot infil- pioneered in setting up following the first will leave a growing trail of immune peo- human cost of an uncontrolled outbreak trating it from both the top and the bottom. NCD survey by WHO in 1987 – shares his ple. Once enough people are immune, is immense and unacceptable. The question that arises is: will there be a insights on the way forward. This is a time there are fewer susceptible people to Alternatively, a globally coordinated wake-up call on the part of the decision when we need all the expertise that we can become infected and the outbreak will die response that eradicated the virus could makers and the leadership? Nothing is so cull to assist the country in transitioning away. prevent a second wave, as was achieved uncertain. smoothly, with a bumpy ride ahead not ruled When an outbreak is brought under for SARS in 2003. However, the milder out. Now another danger is coming from the control by social distancing and other nature of many infections, and the broad call made by some parties to form a gou- But we must also be guided by the ex- measures, it’s possible only a small pro- global spread of Covid-19 make it a much vernement d’unité nationale. This is certainly perience of other countries, and here portion of the population will have been greater challenge to eradicate. the last thing we need at this critical juncture, Singapore can be a guide. Hailed as a model infected and gained immunity. Another end point is the rapid deve- because there are some hard questions to for its successful response to Covid-19 ini- lopment of a vaccine that could help be asked, precisely about Air Mauritius to tially, it was compelled to impose a lockdown If a population has not achieved herd immunity, enough susceptible people achieve herd immunity without extensive start with. This is the job of the Opposition in subsequently because of a second wave of infection. Parliament, which must be convened with cases that caught it too unawares. Among may remain to fuel a second wave if con- In any event, after the first wave has the urgency which the situation demands. other things, there have to be legally trols are relaxed and infection is reintro- passed, preventing a second wave will enforceable measures spanning several duced. By its very nature the role and functions require ongoing surveillance and testing sectors of activity as they open up, and Will we see a second wave? of a government in a representative demo- to detect and isolate any new cases as accrued vigilance without fear or favour, cracy is to govern – make laws, arbitrate, Despite the scale of the outbreak in control measures are unwound. create the conditions for economic develop- including vis-a-vis visitors - but without any Hubei and other Chinese provinces, it’s We use mathematical models to ment and for a just, equitable and free soci- form of brutality. likely most residents remain susceptible explore the dynamic behaviour of infec- ety, etc, as enshrined in our Constitution, There is a price to pay as regards modes to infection. and the Opposition’s role is to scrutinize the tious diseases. They can help explore of interaction for a return to a semblance of Even for those people previously work of government. A gouvernement d’unité normality. If we are not willing to pay that how factors such as the strength and infected, immunity to Covid-19 is an open nationale will not, for instance, be in a posi- price, then we must be prepared for the loss timing of control efforts might affect the question. Reinfection appears uncom- tion to seek the answers about the decision of lives as a consequence.