COMMENT: It’s not yet time to seek return to old normal

AS the Government continues to relax the Covid-19 lockdown, more and more people are beginning to relax.

The face mask appears to have become an inconvenience for many, thus is now being widely dispensed with. Social distancing now belongs in the past, the same with hand-washing and sanitisation. Social events are now common. Attendants on the doors of public facilities now merely point the thermometer on a visitor’s neck and never tell them their body temperature. At the same time, few visitors bother to ask their readings.

In short, many of us have grown dangerously complacent.

Yet, in announcing the progressive easing of the lockdown, the Government makes it clear that Covid-19 has not been overcome so the preventive measures that we have been observing all along still apply.

All this nonchalance may have brought a second wave of Covid-19. The latest statistics from the Ministry of Health and Child Care indicate that Bulawayo may be the first city in the country to experience it.

As a result, the Government has decided to reopen an isolation facility in the city, Elangeni Training Centre for it to accommodate some of the growing number of people testing positive to Covid-19.

Figures released last night show that the country had recorded 8 147 Covid-19 cases since March 20. Bulawayo accounted for 1 570 of them. Out of the 34 tests conducted in the city yesterday, 20 turned out positive yet out of 195 tests done in Harare, just four were positive. Out of 238 active cases in the country, Bulawayo has the highest number at 116 followed by Midlands province at 32.

New Covid-19 cases have been up daily and over the past few days Bulawayo province has recorded a majority of the reported cases.

The figures aren’t looking good for the city. As such we urge our people to go back to the basics for the disease is still with us. Cases can spike out of control if we don’t take measures as strictly as we did in the first lockdowns between March and May.

Some countries are back under strict lockdowns after infections spiked once again. England and Italy are among those that are already bearing the brunt of the second wave of Covid-19.

Bulawayo provincial medical director Dr Welcome Mlilo said:

“Our numbers of Covid-19 cases are on the rise and we are concerned about experiencing a second wave of infections. We need to actively isolate cases to stop the community spread of the virus hence the decision to reopen Elangeni Training Centre.”

Acting Mpilo Central Hospital chief executive officer Professor Solwayo Ngwenya, who has been consistent in his criticism of some people’s lackadaisical approach to the disease, actually proposes a March-like lockdown.

“The first lockdown was successful as we managed to keep the reproductive rate to below one but with the relaxation and attitudes prevalent in the community now, a Covid-19 storm is looming.

My prediction as a medical expert is that if we are not careful, we will bury many people before the Christmas holiday because it’s clear that the virus has spread rapidly in the community,” he warned.

It is critical, therefore, for all in Bulawayo to take note of the sobering statistics and start behaving again. Let’s continue wearing the face masks every time when we are in public places, wearing appropriate ones appropriately. Let’s continue washing our hands with running water and soap and approved hand sanitisers. Let’s keep that one metre-plus distance from the next person when in public places.

This trend of people walking about with the mask under their chin or with their nose jutting out on the top hem of the mask must just stop. Also, the monkey shines we saw at Smokehouse and other places in Bulawayo at the weekend, dozens of people, with no face masks on and not socially distancing having what they mistook for fun together with socialite Ginimbi must just stop. As we report elsewhere on these pages today, Ginimbi brought an entourage from Harare to Bulawayo, driving expensive cars while drinking expensively. He and his friends need to know that it is these kinds of get-togethers that are resulting in what we say is a permanent rise of Covid-19 cases in countries like the US.

It, however, has to be stressed that while figures aren’t good in relation to Bulawayo for now, we have learnt over the past seven months that this virus can hit anyone, anywhere and anytime.

Today it is Bulawayo, tomorrow it can be Harare, Gweru or Mutare. Therefore, everyone in the country has to make sure that they uphold all the Covid-19 preventive measures and not relax yet otherwise we risk a second wave which can be devastating.

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