Life on a Caribbean Island During COVID-19

The information paired with worldwide and local government mandates regarding the rapidly evolving COVID-19 pandemic changes daily and hourly. At first the media I read online seemed to be sensational and fear-driven opinions and speculations, now that world governments are making travel restrictions and border closures COVID-19 is becoming more and more concerning to me personally. Watching the U.S. and local economies downturn is quite frightening, more than the health risks - which is (or will be?) curbed by the CDC and WHO recommended preventative measures with government mandated quarantine. Each day I choose not to let fear drive my decision-making, though day-by-day I become more and more uneasy with the thought of staying on Saba.

Here's the official government status of the island (source: https://cw.usconsulate.gov/news-events/covid-19-information/):

• Saba has NO confirmed cases of COVID-19 within its borders
• Entry to Saba has been restricted from 3/16/2020 through 3/31/2020
• Entry is limited to residents, who will have to self quarantine for 14 days upon returning no matter which country they traveled from
• All schools on the island will be closed through 4/9/2020
• All non-essential businesses are to be closed, exemptions are in place for healthcare, food services (limited to take-out only), and government. 

Here's the official up-to-date CDC COVID-19 summary: (https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/cases-updates/summary.html?CDC_AA_refVal=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cdc.gov%2Fcoronavirus%2F2019-ncov%2Fsummary.html)

Our academics have already been interrupted, we have moved to distance learning via Learning Management System (LMS) with audio recorded lectures on a platform called Panopto from our professors. The Dutch medical school oversight board requires student attendance so each day we log in to a Zoom video conference at the times we have scheduled classes and our professors present the lecture in real-time with virtual whiteboard functions. Our testing schedule has not been modified, everything on the schedule still stands even if students choose to return to their homes in the U.S. or Canada. The biggest change that is most concerning is that administration had no answers or plan of action regarding online testing or how NBME or exams would be proctored. While all other U.S. and Caribbean schools were sending their students home a week and a half ago, everything at SUSOM was "business as usual." The main administration in Devens, MA communicates all academic and curriculum changes through our Associate Dean, Robert J. Young via email correspondence, though the timing seems to be very late and poorly thought through. This next advice is from personal experience, mind you, I am still on island at the moment: there are major, and I mean major, communication issues between SUSOM island administration, U.S. mainland administration, and students I experienced this day one when I arrived on island back in January.

It seems SUSOM transitioned to distance education only because the local Saba government mandated it, not because SUSOM seeks the best interest of their students. Even though I understand there is minimal risk on Saba because there are no confirmed cases of COVID-19, it is still concerning that mainland administration is making decisions that is directly affecting our academics, much of the changes I could not have foreseen nor am I okay with now. Namely the testing for the remainder of the semester is no longer 60 multiple choice exams, but is now 15 short-answer essay style questions. No one is happy with this new format. Even though the caveat from administration is, "your performance on any exam will not lower your overall average grade for that course, but it can increase your average grade." Though there is much seeming dysfunction and lacking communication from administration the professors are still here for your individual success. They have been incredibly supportive during this extraordinary time and ultimately I'm still hopeful to become the absolute best physician I can be. Stay encouraged. Roll with the punches, being "in control" is an illusion, as a perfectionist I had to come to terms with this truth. Take each day as its own challenge. I have been distracted and deeply concerned just as much of the world is, but my desire to serve others with medicine motivates me to wake up each day and tackle studying - all for the sake of my future patients. 

Unforeseen Circumstances: Caribbean Island Life Amidst COVID-19 Pandemic

When I chose to attend medical school in the Dutch Caribbean I never could have foreseen the circumstances or greater implications of a virus impacting my life or medical education.

It has been so very interesting watching the worldwide COVID-19 situation unfold as a first-year medical student. Studying medicine on a rock in the middle of the ocean has it's perks, there is very little tourism to and from Saba typically scuba divers and vacationers from the Netherlands are the majority of arriving travelers, otherwise it's mostly medical students coming from Canada or the U.S. Thankfully there have been no confirmed cases of COVID-19, our hospital here has only four beds so if COVID-19 hits the fan the affected individuals would be sent to a surrounding island for more comprehensive medical care. There's not a large at-risk elderly population on this island so the relative risks of catching and dying from Corona virus is minimal to none, though it seems that healthy individuals are all possibly carriers? I am truly fascinated by the misinformation and sensationalism of COVID-19 in the American news media that fills my Google news feed... 

COVID-19 hasn't really affected us too much aside from our nutrition status since all shipments of fruits and vegetables have been cut off from St. Maarten. Everyone at the university and on the island here on Saba are in good health, we've been told no shipment will arrive for another two weeks so there's that, otherwise our class schedule has been business-as-usual. Apparently several other major Caribbean medical schools have closed down, following suit with American schools, and sent their students home. Here at SUSOM we have gotten no formal advice or statement from administration or the Dean indicating whether we will be sent home or if classes will be conducted via online distance education like SGU and AUC students.

It seems travel bans and risks of government shutdowns would implicate that I may be stuck on Saba for an extended period of time if I don't get sent home by administration or leave on my own accord. What is most concerning is my lack of income and reliance on federal financial aid during this time frame compounded by Dutch government and/or U.S. government shutdown halting all immigration on and off the island. Who could have predicted that I would be trapped on a rock in the middle of the ocean in 2020? Hey, at least there's white Hennessy and internet here!

On a more serious note, the hysteria perpetuated by news media is not helpful at all. Let's all stop with the fake news and resort to primary sources of information and scientific evidence for our "opinions" on COVID-19. It is important to note the mortality rate is low as compared to the people who have died in 2020 from the flu, especially considering the elderly and immunocompromised populations are most at risk, not the general healthy population. I have found the following resources to be helpful and informative in both understanding the virus and diagnostic aspect of COVID-19. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eup3_i_5uaw&t=5s

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7de8LJE4owg

Stay educated. vaccinated, and happy!

If you have questions about attending Saba University College of Medicine feel free to contact me.