COVID-19: SAVE RURAL AREAS

AS the number of Covid-19 cases continue to swell in the country, it is clear from the figures that urban areas have overly been hit by the disease compared to rural areas. Continued abrogating of the Covid-19 control measures by the public throughout the country has been attributed to the spike in cases especially in cities where overcrowding is a recipe for transmission of the virus. It is clear that since the disease broke out in Zambia in March this year, urban areas have continued to record the highest number of cases compared to rural areas largely because of poor adherence levels to the preventive measures. But this disturbing scenario reflected in urban areas should not be allowed to be replicated in rural areas where Covid-19 cases are still relatively low. A spike in cases can be prevented. This can be done by aggressively enhancing sensitisation on preventive measures among rural folks before the cases increase in these areas too. We urge Government not to relent especially that the low number of Coivd-19 cases being recorded in rural areas has caused some rural dwellers to believe the virus was only targeting urban areas. This is preposterous because at no time should people think they are immune from the deadly virus as it knows no boundaries, colour, race or religion. For as long as people continue to disregard the Covid-19 control measures such as observing social distancing and wearing of masks in public places, among others, the virus is capable of engulfing all the rural areas too. Therefore the misconception that “corona yaba ku town” (Covid-19 is confined to urban areas) should quickly be defused through a robust sensitisation campaign in all the rural towns. Movement of people from urban to rural areas or vice versa is a daily phenomenon and remains a catalyst for transmission of the virus. As earlier alluded to, we vehemently implore the government to extend the preventive measures to rural areas without delay before a spike in cases. The sooner rural areas are protected, the better because after all, unlike urban areas they lack properly equipped and staffed heath facilities. Time to act is now before the situation gets out of hand.