COMMENT: Discipline key in fight against Covid-19

Yesterday the country woke up to the sad news that 60 people were reported to have succumbed to Covid-19 in the last 24 hours.

Harare had the highest number with 36 deaths. The deaths for Harare are however for Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
Manicaland was second with 10 deaths, Midlands with five, Masvingo three, Mashonaland Central and Matabeleland North recorded two deaths each.

Bulawayo and Mashonaland West had one death each, while Mashonaland East and Matabeleland South recorded no deaths. A total of 689 new Covid-19 positive cases were recorded after a total of 3 829 PCR tests were conducted.

The 60 Zimbabweans who died were mothers, fathers, grandparents, brothers and sisters. They were uncles, aunts, cousins and friends.

Slowly, we are getting to a point whereby everyone knows someone who succumbed to Covid-19.

According to statistics from the Ministry of Health and Child Care, as of January 18, Zimbabwe has now recorded 27 892 cases, 17 372 recoveries and 773 deaths.

Chances of the current lockdown being extended are getting higher with each passing day.

And we are all to blame. Our actions betray us.

We still travel unnecessarily, to the city centre, the nearest shopping centre and in some cases illegal spots including shebeens.

We break the rules that help stop the spread of the virus: social distancing, masking up and sanitising.

Everyone has a part to play in the fight against coronavirus.

If it’s true what experts say, that the worst is yet to come, then a paradigm shift is needed.

The United Kingdom is a good example of what may become of us if our behaviour does not change.

As the Independent of that country reported yesterday: “One in eight people in England are estimated to have had Covid-19 by December last year, according to the latest data from the Office for National Statistics.

“Figures estimating a total of 5.4 million people, or 12.1 percent of the population, would have tested positive for coronavirus antibodies by last month were released as a health boss warned many intensive care units are ‘already overwhelmed’.”

If this is what is happening to one of the richest countries in the world, what can happen in Zimbabwe should be worse.

Let’s always remember the principle of flattening the curve: slowing the virus’ spread so that fewer people need to seek treatment at any given time.

If hospitals in the UK are overwhelmed, we must all be afraid. We certainly do not have enough beds for a pandemic that has spiralled out of control.

We can all save lives. We can defeat Covid-19. We can live with coronavirus.

But as we have said before, every Zimbabwean needs to play their part. Everyone needs to follow the regulations.
The use of traditional herbs and steaming can also go a long way in keeping us safe.

Traditional experts have said steaming can kill the virus especially if people add essential oils like Eucalyptus and Spearmint.

At the end of the day, lockdown regulations and home remedies require discipline, lots of it.

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