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As we report in our main story, President Mnangagwa yesterday rallied Zimbabweans to comply with the second Covid-19-induced lockdown, which comes as a direct response to a massive increase in new infections during the second wave of the pandemic.

“Zimbabwe is entering a second lockdown to stop the spread of a #COVID19 second wave. Please, for the sake of your family and loved ones, avoid large gatherings and non-essential travel. This is the final push — let’s defeat this virus for good,” said President Mnangagwa on his Twitter account.

While we observed that the generality of Bulawayo residents and businesses complied with the lockdown measures, we are worried over laxity as the month is still young.

On April 2, 2020, during the first lockdown, we published a story titled: “Like, seriously: Lockdown fatigue on Day Three?”

During that time, no Covid-19 case had been confirmed in Bulawayo. Countrywide, there were eight confirmed cases and one death.

This time around, things have changed dramatically.

As of Monday, the country had recorded 15 829 Covid-19 cases, 384 deaths and 11 716 recoveries.

The number of Covid-19 cases and deaths almost doubled in two months from 8 374 on November 1 to 14 084 on Saturday when the lockdown was announced.

The second wave has seen a spike in Covid-19 cases which shot up to 1 342 during the festive season, with 29 deaths being recorded in a week.

The deaths were the highest recorded in the country since the outbreak of the virus.

Not only has the second wave spread fast, but it comes as health experts are warning of a deadly strain of the coronavirus that has since emerged in South Africa.

The new strain, which is believed to be deadlier than the one discovered in the United Kingdom just before Christmas, could possibly render Covid-19 vaccines useless.

Like the UK strain, health experts have further warned, the South African strain is proving to be more infectious than previous mutations.

And as if that is not enough, scientists have observed long-lasting symptoms after infection, leading to the term “long Covid”.

What this means, is that Zimbabwe is under a much more serious threat of Covid-19 than ever before.

This time around, lockdown fatigue will result in death and collapse of the health system.

Only compliance to lockdown regulations, social distancing, masking up, sanitising and other World Health Organisation guidelines can turn the tide.

The President is right, this is indeed the final push. This virus can be defeated once and for all if we all play our part responsibly.

By defying lockdown regulations, we put at risk the ones that we love. The vulnerable — the elderly and children — pay for the sins of those who are supposed to be looking after them.

A continued rise in the number of cases and deaths will lead to an extension of the lockdown or its regulations.

In that case, incomes and social activities will continue to suffer yet we can’t even afford the current lockdown.

Let’s all take head of the President’s call, for the sake of our families and loved ones.