Family physician, Dr. Adrian Lorde, is urging men to be more responsible and protect themselves from COVID-19.
Dr. Lorde reminded men that “male lives matter”, as he underscored their importance to society. He made the comments in a video message, which forms part of a series being shared in the national effort to fight the disease.
The family physician said: “Male Lives Matter. But what I’m seeing is that in the confirmed cases of COVID-19, we are on top of the women. Yes, for every five men confirmed positive, there are three and a half women…. So, it looks to me that we are not protecting ourselves; we are not seeking medical attention early because we feel that we are invincible.
“We are lazy; we don’t like to go to doctors; so, what is happening is that men are heading up to Harrison Point, sometimes being diagnosed too late. And therefore, with the number of chronic non-communicable diseases in Barbados, and that we men have as well, we are likely to have more complications if you get COVID-19.”
The Barbados COVID-19 Situation Report for February 7, 2021, recorded 1,732 positive cases and 1,014 of them were men.
Dr. Lorde lamented that despite what was stated in the protocols, some men were not wearing masks and were engaging in prohibited activities.
“We are out partying, I understand, without masks; we are not distancing; we are not washing our hands because we feel that we are super beings. Nope, we matter to ourselves, our relatives, to society,” he stressed.
He urged men to call the COVID-19 hotline at 536-4500 or their healthcare provider if they have symptoms, so they may be seen and tested, if need be.
He encouraged men to wash their hands regularly; engage in physical distancing; wear their mask; keep away from crowds; and follow the protocols.