COVID-19 VACCINATION AND THE VIP LIST

by Sanjeewa Jayaweera

This article is a sequel to the one I wrote last week titled “Why did the MP’s jump the vaccine queue?” There is a saying, “A week is a long time in politics.” Quite appropriate. The reverberations due to the MP’s jumping the vaccine queue is still ongoing. In most talk shows aired on privately-owned TV, MPs belonging to the government are still questioned about this.

A couple of hilarious responses that I heard during the week were: If a few MP’s were to test positive, then parliamentary sittings will need to cease and, in that case, the country could not be governed. Expenditure need to be approved by Parliament, they said. Fortunately, a sharp-witted young opposition MP with curly hair retorted, “But we had no Parliament for nearly six months during the first wave after the Parliament was dissolved and elections held only in August 2020.” Yes, indeed, the President ran the country, some may say more efficiently. Besides, what about the money saved if Parliament is closed along with its restaurant serving MPs sumptuous subsidized meals and hopefully their not getting paid? Another worthy said, “The MP’s had to get vaccinated to show the people that it was safe.” The same logic was made in defence of the relatively young Sanath Jayasuriya getting the jab well ahead of others.

At times I wonder why the party leaders allow such MP’s on TV shows? The government’s credibility is eroded when MP’s make statements that the public ridicule. By mid-week, the focus of social media was about a list of names captioned “Rosy’s list” which was widely circulated. This list, disowned by Colombo’s Mayor Rosy Senanayake, carries names of affluent people living in Colombo and its suburbs. They are alleged to have got preference at the Public Library vaccination center. Somebody I know on that queue for nearly four hours told me, “Machang, the Colombo seven crowd is as bad as the Maradana crowd!” They were pushing like in a rugby scrum. No social distancing or courtesy extended to those in wheelchairs. It is another unsavoury episode though not verified.

In Peru, both the Health Minister and the Foreign Minister resigned, while in Argentina, too, the Health Minister resigned. They all quit as they had favoured either their friends or colleagues in getting the vaccine ahead of others. I just now read that the CEO of Canada’s largest pension fund resigned as he had flown to Dubai to get the vaccine. In Canada, traveling overseas is restricted due to the pandemic. This trip was therefore deemed inappropriate. In this instance it is not a public official who is being made accountable for his actions. In Sri Lanka, politicians do not resign. So we might as well not wait for the impossible even from the loudest proponents of good governance.

What about those on the list? I know a few, and they are generally law-abiding people. However, “Influence peddling” here is widespread and a favourite currency along with money to get anything done. Once favours are elicited from politicians, there’s a payback and a vicious cycle kicks in. Many who boasted that they got the jab through influence and wore it as a badge of their importance in society are now a bit wary about admitting their indiscretion. I need to acknowledge that many in the list were over 60-years, and lived in the Colombo Municipal area. However, it is possible that adult children aged around 30-years too got the jab.

On a TV talk show, the head of the Public Health Inspectors Union expressed concern about the Ministry of Health’s ever-changing criteria about who should get the jab. He said that within the last couple of weeks, there had been three separate circulars. Initially, it was only over the 60s; then it was only those between 30 and 60 years-old and now back to only over 60 years. As I write this article, I noticed a news alert saying that those aged between 30 and 60 living in high-risk areas will again qualify for the jab.

There seems to be an almighty confusion with the State Minister concerned claiming on TV that she is not consulted nor kept in the loop. Quite a serious charge. Some medical professionals expressed their dismay that priority is not being given to those over 60-years because death is highest in this group.

Many will be glad that the controversy surrounding the burial of the Muslims dying of Covid-19 has now been resolved. Most will wonder what made the committee entrusted to make a recommendation to change its stance on this matter? The controversy was allowed to simmer to the extent of various overseas countries getting involved in the debate. This is something that will puzzle many.

I want to conclude on a happier note by saying that on Friday morning, I was able to get the jab. It was administered through the Ministry of Health program for those living in Nedimala in the Dehiwela Municipal area. The entire process was well streamlined. The youthful and very capable Gramasevaka overlooking my area contacted me by phone on Wednesday and told me that people over 60-years whose names are in the voters register would be vaccinated on Friday. I also spoke to the PHI, who confirmed the location and the time when the program would commence.

On Thursday evening, a mobile truck went around saying that our street had been allocated a particular time for the vaccination. I went in the morning and stood in the queue for 50 minutes before gaining entry. Nobody tried to jump the queue. It was very orderly, quite different from the Public Library. The Gramasevaka was at the entrance and identified me as an area resident and my Identity card was checked for the age qualification. I was in a tent for another 45 minutes before being vaccinated. Twenty minutes later I was told that I could leave. All it took was two hours. I commend those involved in the entire vaccination program at Dehiwela on Friday for the orderly and efficient manner in which they did their job.

I also would like to congratulate the government for having secured one million doses over a short period. No doubt 500,000 was a gift from the Government of India. However, it looks as if one million people in Sri Lanka will be inoculated with a single dose by the middle of March. This is while as many as 100 countries worldwide are yet to receive a single dose of the vaccine.