Our 5th Covid-19 Vaccine Interview is with no-one less than ๐๐๐ซ๐๐๐ฅ ๐๐ฎ๐ฆ๐๐ฌ!
๐๐๐ง ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ ๐ญ๐๐ฅ๐ฅ ๐ฎ๐ฌ ๐ ๐๐ข๐ญ ๐๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ญ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ๐ฌ๐๐ฅ๐? My name is Marcel Gumbs. I was born in Curacao and I moved back here when I was six and I've lived here all my life. I've been involved in public service in the noble profession of politics for some 23 years, and I have also been working at the airport as traffic controller for 14 years. I am a member of the Steering Committee of the Trust Fund managed by the World Bank, and in my free time, I like to really socialize. I'm also a member of an eating club: โโLa Chaine des Rotisseursโโ, where we meet every six weeks under normal circumstances.
๐๐จ๐ฐ ๐๐ข๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ฉ๐๐ง๐๐๐ฆ๐ข๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ญ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ ๐๐จ๐ญ๐ก ๐๐ญ ๐ฐ๐จ๐ซ๐ค ๐๐ง๐ ๐ข๐ง ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐๐๐ข๐ฅ๐ฒ ๐ฅ๐ข๐๐? It has affected me in the sense that it makes me much, much more conscious of my environment. Iโm used to social activities, and so that has changed. It also has brought me to the realization that I have to pay, and we all have to pay more attention to our health and immune systems. Because I've learned very early on that, the stronger your immune system, the fewer chances you have of the virus affecting you.
It required quite some adaptation, which is not always easy and itโs still not really the same. Of course, we all miss that touch, that feels, that hug. I think with the boops and the elbows, you just got to close your eyes and imagine that it's a hug and a squeeze. The fact that weโre not able to travel and get off the Island is though. Most of you, know it very well: โโYou get Island feverโโ.
๐๐ก๐๐ญ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐จ๐ฉ๐ข๐ง๐ข๐จ๐ง, ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐๐ฌ๐ญ ๐ฐ๐๐ฒ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ ๐จ ๐๐๐๐ค ๐ญ๐จ ๐ง๐จ๐ซ๐ฆ๐๐ฅ? The best way to go back to normal is for us to do what must be done. Wear a mask, wash your hands, sanitize, it keeps social distance because that has proven to reduce the numbers, not only here but all over the world.
Now that the vaccine being available, I think that is definitely one of the things we'll have to do in order to get back to normal as soon as possible. But we also have to be realistic too and work together with the French side, because the virus doesnโt stop by the border, and asks permission to cross.
Because our business is tourism, it has to get back to normal as quickly as possible. But fasten your seatbelt, because itโs going to take a while before we see cruise ships and flights coming back fully loaded, unfortunately. Because these are the people from the middle class, and that group is broke at this moment. So, it's likely going to take a year or two for them to get back us and get things back to normal.
๐๐ก๐๐ญ ๐๐ซ๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ซ๐๐๐ฌ๐จ๐ง๐ฌ ๐๐จ๐ซ ๐ญ๐๐ค๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ฏ๐๐๐๐ข๐ง๐?
I will be taking the vaccine the minute it is available. My reason for taking the vaccine is because it is scientifically proven, and we must have confidence in the science. Imagine what the world would be If we did not have confidence in science. We would not have cell phones, planes, or the internet.
Imagine that when you were a child and your parents were asked if they were going to vaccine you for a chickenpox vaccine, and they said, no, no, no, no vaccine. Well, you would get chickenpox and you would die. So, your parents said yes, go ahead and get the vaccine, because it is something that saves lives. And I see no reason why the vaccine for the COVID-19 would not save lives.
๐๐ก๐๐ญ ๐ฐ๐จ๐ฎ๐ฅ๐ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ ๐ฌ๐๐ฒ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ญ๐ก๐จ๐ฌ๐ ๐๐จ๐ฎ๐๐ญ๐๐ฎ๐ฅ ๐จ๐ ๐ญ๐๐ค๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ฏ๐๐๐๐ข๐ง๐? Do not follow the negative narratives that are out there. This has become so easy to put out something negative now with social media, whether it's WhatsApp, Instagram, or Twitter.
Do not be doubtful because when you were a kid, your parents agreed and followed instructions and you got the vaccine, not only for the chickenpox but for polio and for everything. So why not take the vaccine now? And by not taking it, you're hurting those loved ones around you. So I would encourage everyone to go and take the vaccine because that's the way to go and for us to get back to normal, as soon as possible.