Our New Reality: Kenya in the Wake of Covid-19

It is official. Kenya has four confirmed cases of people infected with the coronavirus (COVID-19) and the numbers should be expected to rise going by the latest communication from the Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe. Neighbours such as Tanzania, Rwanda, Somalia and Ethiopia have also shared in the dreaded news. It seems that the myth of our African immunity against the virus didn’t hold after all. The result of the news was a sudden sense of alertness and of course widespread panic. Kenyans, particularly the middle-class swarmed in supermarkets to stock up on house supplies in the wake of a possible nationwide lockdown. Businesses have and will be forced to adapt to the current situation. Some have instructed their staff to work remotely to avoid subjecting them to physical contact with crowds as they make their way to the office while others have chosen to adjust the working hours. Most businesses whose offices are still in operation have scaled up their hygiene measures by providing sanitizers and constantly communicating with their staff on ways to prevent the spread of the virus. Despite all these measures being put in place, businesses are about to go through a really trying moment for them. Most enterprises, both local and international are already experiencing a dip in their profits. The lockdown being enforced almost at a global scale is has greatly affected the aviation, tourism and exports industries. The implications of this virus spread wide almost leaving nothing untouched. An article on the World Health Organization (WHO) website titled ‘Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) advice for the public: Myth busters’ notes that “People of all ages can be infected with the new coronavirus (2019-nCoV). Older people and people with pre-existing medical conditions (such as asthma, diabetes, heart disease) appear to be more vulnerable to becoming severely ill with the virus.” Terminally ill people who require regular medical will surely experience more difficulty during this period. In the face of our new reality, the government should quickly find a solution for such patients lest they succumb first to these illnesses they suffer from. For the rest of Kenyans, it should be remembered that Health CS Mutahi Kagwe advised on social distancing as one of the measures to prevent the spread of the virus. This will call on a deliberate effort by a society that is largely social to adapt and unlearn the norms in their various settings. Things as simple as handshakes are now being advised against. Being a country that is deeply rooted in religion, the masses may be tempted to seek solace in their places of worship as they drive the fear of the virus away. Now is the time to rethink this. Religious leaders should now reassess their modes of delivering sermons otherwise this could be one sure way that the numbers can escalate from the current four cases to the hundreds. Beliefs should not precede logic if we want to fight this virus. For those who love to indulge in some good music and booze, it may be time to put a pause on the ‘enjoyment call’. Do not risk your life and that of the next person. As witnessed in some of the most affected countries in Europe, it is because of disregarding calls for social distancing that the numbers of infected persons have shot up. Let us not stand in the way of our own safety. All eyes are on the government right now. Citizens watching its preparedness, responsiveness and their speed of sharing information. The latter if not well executed creates loopholes that crooks can take advantage of. In the era of massive misinformation, Kenyans may likely buy any information (factual or not) just to be safe. The ministry should go out of their way to ensure a nationwide sensitization on the virus. Kenyans should also be on the lookout for suspicious people offering solutions, vaccines or testing kits. In addition to this, national and county governments coordination is crucial right now to figure out the next steps. In the face of this pandemic, any government tactics can only be foolproof if we the citizens work hand in hand with them to fight this. Each of us has a responsibility to ensure their personal safety and that of their family, community, estate, office, town, city and country at large. It takes only one case to spread it all over the country. Let’s be vigilant and responsible during this crisis, it’s the least we can do.

Posted by Mzalendo Editor on March 18, 2020

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