FAMILY and friends of local comedian Timico "Sawyer Boy" Sawyer have launched a GoFundMe page seeking donations to help in his healthcare as he battles COVID-19.

Last week, Mr Sawyer was admitted to the Princess Margaret Hospital and diagnosed with COVID-19. #A relative has since organised the GoFundMe account for Mr Sawyer with the hope of raising some $50,000 to assist the comedian with his health issues. #“Unfortunately, our dear brother is currently in the hospital fighting severe COVID-19 with pneumonia and needs our help,” the relative wrote. “This fight has been very difficult for him, but we know God will bring him through. We are putting our faith in God that he may heal him so he can continue to be a great dad to his three children and continue to make people laugh. But, we also need monetary support for medical assistance as we are exploring all avenues to ensure he receives the best treatment possible.” #As prayer requests for the well liked comedian made rounds on social media, another funny man and radio personality Inigo “Naughty” Zenicazelaya weighed in, asking the public to pray for Mr Sawyer and all other people affected by COVID-19. #“Hey ya’ll please put a prayer up for my boy Sawyer,” Mr Zenicazelaya said in a voice note. “He is not doing well.” #“Just take time out to put a prayer up for a decent human being and realise that the biggest fight we have right now is COVID and this global pandemic. This political fight will be over in short order and we are going to all be Bahamians again and COVID will still be here regardless of who the government is. #“Please people, please, look at your options of vaccinations. It’s a choice and it’s yours. It’s not mandatory, but look at all the proper information and make the right choice. This is killing us and this is not a time to be politicising anything. We need to live.” #He continued by encouraging the public to consider getting vaccinated. #“There are enough vaccines here for everybody. AstraZeneca, Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson,” he said. “There is oxygen at the hospitals. They are making arrangements for more beds, but we don’t need to go that route. We need to be more responsible now.

Last week, Mr Sawyer was admitted to the Princess Margaret Hospital and diagnosed with COVID-19.

A relative has since organised the GoFundMe account for Mr Sawyer with the hope of raising some $50,000 to assist the comedian with his health issues.

“Unfortunately, our dear brother is currently in the hospital fighting severe COVID-19 with pneumonia and needs our help,” the relative wrote. “This fight has been very difficult for him, but we know God will bring him through. We are putting our faith in God that he may heal him so he can continue to be a great dad to his three children and continue to make people laugh. But, we also need monetary support for medical assistance as we are exploring all avenues to ensure he receives the best treatment possible.”

As prayer requests for the well liked comedian made rounds on social media, another funny man and radio personality Inigo “Naughty” Zenicazelaya weighed in, asking the public to pray for Mr Sawyer and all other people affected by COVID-19.

“Hey ya’ll please put a prayer up for my boy Sawyer,” Mr Zenicazelaya said in a voice note. “He is not doing well.”

“Just take time out to put a prayer up for a decent human being and realise that the biggest fight we have right now is COVID and this global pandemic. This political fight will be over in short order and we are going to all be Bahamians again and COVID will still be here regardless of who the government is.

“Please people, please, look at your options of vaccinations. It’s a choice and it’s yours. It’s not mandatory, but look at all the proper information and make the right choice. This is killing us and this is not a time to be politicising anything. We need to live.”

He continued by encouraging the public to consider getting vaccinated.

“There are enough vaccines here for everybody. AstraZeneca, Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson,” he said. “There is oxygen at the hospitals. They are making arrangements for more beds, but we don’t need to go that route. We need to be more responsible now.

 

DESPITE calls for stricter COVID-19 measures, Health Minister Renward Wells insisted yesterday the government has no plans to reimpose another COVID-19 lockdown to fight the current surge of infections.

He said officials are instead relying on vaccinations and public adherence to the health measures to bring rising infection rates under control. #This comes as the Progressive Liberal Party said it is putting its drive-in election rallies on hold due to the surge in coronavirus infections. #“My understanding at this point in time is that there isn’t a recommendation for stricter measures other than the recommendation for the Bahamian people to continue to adhere to the measures that are in place,” Mr Wells said before going to a Cabinet meeting yesterday. #“The EOC (Emergency Operating Centre) is going to be meeting again tomorrow, Wednesday, where all of the data is going to be looked at again and obviously, recommendations will come out of the EOC meeting and based on those recommendations we have been a very responsive and responsible government in how we have sought to respond to our nation’s circumstances.” #This comes as the third wave of the COVID-19 crisis intensifies. #One top doctor at Princess Margaret Hospital recently described the state of the public healthcare system as being on the brink of collapse. Last week, a local daily also reported that Doctors Hospital is “out of space” and “out of staff” and has reached the point of choosing which patient is placed on a ventilator. #But even as the pandemic worsens, the government has resisted implementing strict restrictions. #According to Mr Wells yesterday, this decision is partially linked to the arrival of vaccines which, he says, points to the way out of the pandemic.

He said officials are instead relying on vaccinations and public adherence to the health measures to bring rising infection rates under control.

This comes as the Progressive Liberal Party said it is putting its drive-in election rallies on hold due to the surge in coronavirus infections.

“My understanding at this point in time is that there isn’t a recommendation for stricter measures other than the recommendation for the Bahamian people to continue to adhere to the measures that are in place,” Mr Wells said before going to a Cabinet meeting yesterday.

“The EOC (Emergency Operating Centre) is going to be meeting again tomorrow, Wednesday, where all of the data is going to be looked at again and obviously, recommendations will come out of the EOC meeting and based on those recommendations we have been a very responsive and responsible government in how we have sought to respond to our nation’s circumstances.”

This comes as the third wave of the COVID-19 crisis intensifies.

One top doctor at Princess Margaret Hospital recently described the state of the public healthcare system as being on the brink of collapse. Last week, a local daily also reported that Doctors Hospital is “out of space” and “out of staff” and has reached the point of choosing which patient is placed on a ventilator.

But even as the pandemic worsens, the government has resisted implementing strict restrictions.

According to Mr Wells yesterday, this decision is partially linked to the arrival of vaccines which, he says, points to the way out of the pandemic.

 

CRUISE ships will not be allowed to enter a port in The Bahamas unless passengers aged 12 and older are fully vaccinated against COVID-19, according to the latest amendment to the emergency order.

The new rule, which takes effect September 3 to November 1, also requires the captain or master of the cruise ship to submit a crew and passenger manifest that discloses the vaccination status of all persons onboard prior to arrival in the country. #The order said exceptions to the vaccination requirement will be made in cases of emergencies, “in other exigent circumstances approved by the government” or if a passenger has a medical excuse for not being vaccinated. #The new guideline also does not apply to “crew, contractors and any non-revenue passenger” under existing protocols previously agreed upon between the government and cruise lines. #Last week, Royal Caribbean announced it will require all passengers 12 and older sailing from Florida to be vaccinated to comply with the latest emergency order. All crew are fully vaccinated, according to the company. #According to international reports, the cruise line had already required proof of vaccination from passengers 12 and older who were sailing from other US ports. #“Royal Caribbean’s top priority is maintaining everyone’s well-being while complying with federal, state and local laws as we always have. We will continue to evaluate and update our health and safety measures as circumstances evolve,” the cruise line said in a statement. #Other cruise lines sailing from Florida are following suit. #Unvaccinated passengers who are set to depart from Florida between September 3 and October 31 won’t be allowed to sail, MSC Cruises said.

The new rule, which takes effect September 3 to November 1, also requires the captain or master of the cruise ship to submit a crew and passenger manifest that discloses the vaccination status of all persons onboard prior to arrival in the country.

The order said exceptions to the vaccination requirement will be made in cases of emergencies, “in other exigent circumstances approved by the government” or if a passenger has a medical excuse for not being vaccinated.

The new guideline also does not apply to “crew, contractors and any non-revenue passenger” under existing protocols previously agreed upon between the government and cruise lines.

Last week, Royal Caribbean announced it will require all passengers 12 and older sailing from Florida to be vaccinated to comply with the latest emergency order. All crew are fully vaccinated, according to the company.

According to international reports, the cruise line had already required proof of vaccination from passengers 12 and older who were sailing from other US ports.

“Royal Caribbean’s top priority is maintaining everyone’s well-being while complying with federal, state and local laws as we always have. We will continue to evaluate and update our health and safety measures as circumstances evolve,” the cruise line said in a statement.

Other cruise lines sailing from Florida are following suit.

Unvaccinated passengers who are set to depart from Florida between September 3 and October 31 won’t be allowed to sail, MSC Cruises said.

 

ABOUT 38,400 doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine arrived in the Bahamas yesterday.

Chief Medical Officer Dr Pearl McMillan said officials will now assess how to incorporate the one-shot vaccine into the schedule alongside Pfizer and Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccines. photo MINISTER of Health Renward Wells and Chief Medical Officer Dr Pearl McMillan with health officials and officials of UNICEF as they receive 38,400 doses of the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine. Photos: Racardo Thomas/Tribune Staff #“We anticipate we would have put out a schedule for the Pfizer (vaccine) and then we will be then now looking at how we can begin to incorporate the Johnson & Johnson into the roll out but definitely our focus is on getting persons to take the you know Pfizer vaccine which we are rolling out at many sites. #“We are continuing to offer the AstraZeneca at the Church of God site, but as it relates to the Johnson & Johnson that we anticipate will be incorporated into the schedule but probably not today or tomorrow. So you will have to continue to listen out for when we begin to actually roll out the Johnson & Johnson,” she told reporters. #As for the Family Islands, she added the roll out of the second doses of AstraZeneca will begin in those communities and officials will then likely use the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, noting the one shot dosage will make it easier to cover the islands. #“If we are able to do one shot on a particular island and we’re done that makes it much easier for us, but I stay revert to what Consultative Committee as we have been guiding the whole roll out in a consensus way,” she said. #“We have a meeting later on today to begin to discuss the roll out so the public will know soon exactly what we’re doing.” #Last week, the country received Pfizer vaccines from the US government. US Chargé d’Affaires Usha Pitts said the second and third tranches of Pfizer vaccines will arrive in time to “keep the vaccination campaign running”. #Dr McMillan noted the challenges with rolling out the Pfizer vaccine to the Family Islands.

Chief Medical Officer Dr Pearl McMillan said officials will now assess how to incorporate the one-shot vaccine into the schedule alongside Pfizer and Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccines.

“We anticipate we would have put out a schedule for the Pfizer (vaccine) and then we will be then now looking at how we can begin to incorporate the Johnson & Johnson into the roll out but definitely our focus is on getting persons to take the you know Pfizer vaccine which we are rolling out at many sites.

“We are continuing to offer the AstraZeneca at the Church of God site, but as it relates to the Johnson & Johnson that we anticipate will be incorporated into the schedule but probably not today or tomorrow. So you will have to continue to listen out for when we begin to actually roll out the Johnson & Johnson,” she told reporters.

As for the Family Islands, she added the roll out of the second doses of AstraZeneca will begin in those communities and officials will then likely use the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, noting the one shot dosage will make it easier to cover the islands.

“If we are able to do one shot on a particular island and we’re done that makes it much easier for us, but I stay revert to what Consultative Committee as we have been guiding the whole roll out in a consensus way,” she said.

“We have a meeting later on today to begin to discuss the roll out so the public will know soon exactly what we’re doing.”

Last week, the country received Pfizer vaccines from the US government. US Chargé d’Affaires Usha Pitts said the second and third tranches of Pfizer vaccines will arrive in time to “keep the vaccination campaign running”.

Dr McMillan noted the challenges with rolling out the Pfizer vaccine to the Family Islands.