The Corona Scourge

It is quite fortunate that most Zimbabweans have at least heard about Covid19, its causative organism, the modes of transmission, preventive measures and the number of people who have so far lost their lives worldwide. A great thanks to various media for the Sterling work so far shown.

But one embarrassing thing in as far as prevention is concerned is how the generality of the people are responding to the requisites of the pandemic. They are still playing cat and mice game with the law enforcers.

Maybe, the main reasons for the unbefitting responses are, how far fetched it seems to be and issues of hunger and starvation and of course, inadequate knowledge. Unlike HIV and AIDS in which everyone has either been directly infected or affected, Corona seems to be nowhere near for most people, unless they start to have first hand experience.

The approach to the Corona outbreak does not necessarily require law enforcement alone without accompanying intensive education. Knowledge actually helps in attitude change and subsequently behaviour modification, which is the objective in its containment and prevention of further spread. Since this is an outbreak of a new disease within humankind both education and law enforcement need to be concurrently done, … so as to deal with the crisis. The cat and mice game being observed in many centres of mass gathering, especially at townships, may stall the expected results.

Most importantly, the law enforcers should be exemplary in both knowledge and practice through maintaining social distance, wearing of masks and even educating the community. Harassment by the law enforcers may only develop resistance in people and hence defy the expected order and control of the epidemic.

Our war is mainly against the epidemic and not military against the civilians. The common man still needs to continue receiving education besides the effect of hunger that has driven or kept him on to the street. It may seem to be lack of compliance and obedience, yet in practical sense its real hunger that’s playing havoc. Hunger and compliance need to be balanced up, fingers are still crossed in anticipation of social support in terms of food. Whilst hoping and waiting, the situational fasting may have taken too long for many hence yelling and crying for food.

Source: Tonderayi, via email