As the novel coronavirus continues to trigger panic buying of hand sanitisers and cleaning agents, a Presbyterian Reverend believes once a vaccine is created everything will go back to being “nasty as usual” in Trinidad and Tobago. In his sermon at the Susumachar Presbyterian Church in San Fernando , Reverend Daniel Teelucksingh said national sanitization and health care is everyone’s business. “Health for Trinidad and Tobago is the business not only for the government but for every citizen, rich and poor.” He called for legislation to ban public spitting. “There is a need for development in this country, in my community and yours, a new culture. Even a law that prohibits spitting on side walks and roadways, spitting in the car park before you go in your car after you come from the grocery, spitting in school yards, spaces used by the public, we need a law like that.”
He said right now people were concerned about washing their hands, wearing masks and using hand sanitizers, but that will eventually be shelved.
“One of these days we are going to put it away that is just the kind of culture we have. We will stop being careful once they find an antidote for this COVID-19, once we find the vaccine everything going back to normal, nasty as usual. That has to stop. We cannot tell ourselves that cleanliness is a seasonal thing.” Teelucksingh also asked the congregation to offer a prayer for medical experts to find a vaccine. “We have to say a prayer to deliver us from evil, inspire and open the minds and illuminate the hearts of those scholars, the medical scientists who are searching for vaccines and cures.”
Noting the impact the coronavirus is having the world, he said, “Every continent and island people wearing masks, there is a shortage of masks. People are quarantine, people are cautioned. It is impacting negatively on the whole international community, people are afraid.”