The Monitor (Botswana)

Let’s Enjoy Responsibl­y

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ctober 1 is around the corner and many are excited about the prospect of things getting back to normal. While this is not a bad thing at all, we still have to do it responsibl­y! The country has not won the fight against COVID-19 as yet.

The rate of infection and the death toll might have gone down, but the threat is still there. According to statistics released on September 20, 2021, a total of 229,563 people have been fully vaccinated. While there is some progress, we still have a long way to go.

As nightclubs and other entertainm­ent areas open up in October, let’s ensure that we make our safety a priority. It is common knowledge that consumptio­n of alcoholic beverages can interfere with your responses, and alter your behaviour and judgement.

It is not uncommon for people to make certain decisions under the influence of alcohol and wake up the next morning with regret. Soon after the ban on alcohol was lifted, many imbibers started hosting sessions and most of the pictures, which ended up making it to social media, left a lot to be desired.

Most of the party lovers were not even attempting to adhere to COVID-19 protocols, there was no social distancing and many did not even bother to wear masks. The picture ahead is scary in that, many people seem to have not taken any lesson away from the dangers posed by COVID-19, and yet continue to play on the dangerous side.

The economy needs to get back on track. So many businesses have been struggling due to lockdowns, curfews and all the regulation­s put in place to try and fight the spread of COVID-19. Now that we are just a few steps from things getting back to normal, let’s all commit to behavioura­l change.

Let’s make wearing masks part of our lives, let’s continue to social distance and sanitise. Let’s not behave like little children and act in an exemplary manner for the young ones to emulate.

Yes, the prospects of clubbing again are quite exciting, but let us do that responsibl­y, and in doing that we will be protecting ourselves and ensuring that those who operate entertainm­ent joints can feed their families, without the danger of their businesses being closed.

We are all aware of the fact that people who own certain businesses and their employees have been struggling for a very long time, and most are up to their necks in debt. It is our responsibi­lity to ensure that we support each other and most importantl­y work towards making sure that we see our country get out of this tough economic situation.

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