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Andile Tshuma
Ms Netsai Moyo sells roller meal from the load box of her Toyota pickup truck at a shopping centre in Cowdray Park suburb, Bulawayo.

Among other things, she also sells mosquito coil, matches, cigarettes, overnight brewing traditional beer sachets, ‘no name’ whiskey and other top brands, which she says she imported from Zambia.

Ms Moyo, popularly known as Mai Tino, also trades in forex.

She counts some notes and mid-way calls a man passing by selling sweet reeds before she starts peeling and eating it.

Moments later, after counting more cash, she shares a cob of fresh mealies with a passenger in a car parked nearby, a Honda Fit packed to the brim with people drinking and smoking, all oblivious of a raging flu-like virus that spreads through contact. She is the supplier.

While she is still talking to the news crew posing as potential forex customers, everyone starts scurrying for cover and there is commotion emanating from one end of the shopping centre.

People whistle at each other to signal that trouble is brewing a few metres away due east, and in a matter of seconds, a police truck with armed police officers arrives and screeches to a halt.

There is no time to record the unfolding drama as the news crew has to vacate the “crime zone”; the interview was never finished. In a matter of seconds, the place was deserted. One would think it’s a lie that barely a minute earlier, there was a hive of activity.

At shopping centres in residential areas, it’s still business as usual on most days as people continue going about their normal day to day activities. The nation cannot afford a ‘business as usual’ attitude at such a time as every effort from every Zimbabwean will be the determinant of the success of the fight against Covid-19 in the country.

Adults need no policing. Why must it take a truckload of anti-riot police officers to disperse forex dealers, vendors and people drinking beer from their cars at such a time as this?

It was the case at Cowdray Park Terminus yesterday afternoon. Some people seem unfazed. While others may claim to be selling fruits and vegetables to generate income in order to provide the next meal for their children, we still have people roaming around, drinking and making merry.

We still have a dozen people drinking from the same beer container, one mouth after the other, at such a time as this.

If the death of one of us, a very well-known broadcaster for that matter, does not move the nation to shape up and obey orders, then what will?

Many may wonder what the purpose of the 21-day lockdown is. This is because the virus takes up to 14 days to incubate and it may take longer for an infected person to develop symptoms and feel sick. So, they may go about unknowingly infecting others. Fourteen days are meant to ensure that those that have it are already at home and seeking health services should they feel sick, without having infected others.

The other seven days are a precautionary measure to ensure that no chances are taken.

Watching the news of late is not only depressing but rather scary. For those that are following Covid-19 updates, death tolls and confirmed cases are rising at an alarming rate.

It is by grace that as a country, only 10 cases have been recorded so far.

The coronavirus confirmed cases have shot past the one million mark, now at over 1,2 million worldwide.

It may sound like mere statistics to some but spare a thought and imagine the families mourning globally, the people that have had to go through this, being unable to give your loved one a fitting send off and not getting the moment of closure by the graveside.

The Ministry of Health and Child Care gives detailed statistics and a situational update on a daily basis on the Covid-19 virus in the country.
A number of people are undergoing tests, and by grace, most tests results have come out negative.

Citizens must understand the gravity of the situation, what is at stake if there was a serious outbreak, how life would change, how people would likely be separated from their loved ones for long periods of time, or for good when something tragic like deaths occurs.

One of the most dangerous people in such times also are religious fanatics. Some people want to shove conspiracy theories down everyone’s throats on this virus having to do with the mark of the beast, and the chip; how anointing oil and prophecies by certain pastors will come to pass. While it is ok to be religious, people must be realistic in such times and let science lead.

It is worrying that a lot of people still seem unfazed by the fact that there is a raging virus and it spares no race, tribe, nationality, religion, gender, age or any other demographic.

Although some are more vulnerable than others, we are all at risk. There is a lot of public defiance, people are even making jokes and memes out of it.

Over 1 900 people have been arrested locally so far, just for failing to follow simple orders. It is unthinkable that people may be already suffering from lockdown fatigue when their health, and entire existence is under threat.

Health Services Department assistant director Dr Khulamuzi Nyathi said the success of the fight against Covid-19 in the country lay in the hands of every Zimbabwean.

“In the city, the success of the Covid-19 fight lies in all of us. No matter how good and fancy infrastructure can be, if the people are not compliant and if they don’t see that they are individually and collectively responsible, then we’re all doomed. History serves us well; social distancing and lockdowns have worked before. If we look at the prevailing situation globally, we can clearly see the results of complying with regulations and the results of defiance. A lot of people died in China, strict regulations were put in and the country managed to control the virus.

“Look at what’s happening in Italy. It took a while for people to listen to orders and people perished. The virus is now raging in the United States, France, United Kingdom and other countries. As a nation, we’ve already lost a soul, that in itself must push us to do whatever is possible to stay indoors and protect ourselves and others,” said Dr Nyathi.

While it may be difficult for people to be home 100 percent of the time, people must get essentials and rush back home.

If this virus could be seen in the air with the naked eye, someone would say perhaps they can avoid it.

It is encouraging that work is being done at Ekusileni Medical Centre so that it can complement Thorngrove Infectious Diseases Hospital which can only house 17 people comfortably and 30 to 35 with some squeeze of beds.

However, people must be at their best behaviour now more than ever. Being bed ridden and at a point of death is no joke.

Zimbabweans must learn from what happened in other countries so that they are at their best behaviours when facing this Covid-19 threat.

President Mnangagwa was quoted in this publication this week saying he will review the lockdown. So, basing on how people carry themselves around and  where we are as a country in terms of fighting it, it is very possible that lockdown may end on day 21.

If people fail to abide by the rules and the unfortunate happens, recording more positive cases in the country, then people run the risk of being confined to their homes for longer. Imagine having to be home for another 21 days or so because someone’s child failed to obey simple orders.

It is time Zimbabweans took their health seriously as acts of defiance may send someone to the grave earlier than imagined.