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.
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