Zimba residents drop the guard

AUTHORITIES in Zimba District of Southern Province have expressed concerns about the laxity in adherence to Covid-19 guidelines among members of the public.

Residents have not been observing health guidelines even in the face of the second wave of Covid-19 which has seen the number of cases escalate in the District.

Zimba District Commissioner (DC), Elizabeth Kalaluka, said that compliance levsl among residents were too low adding that cases could continue rising if the trend continued.

Ms Kalaluka told the Daily Nation that traders had been identified as a group with low compliance rates with public health measures aimed at curbing the spread of Covid-19.

She said mostly those that were not wearing of face masks, observing social distance, washing hands regularly were traders, who deliver their produce to the markets for sale.

Ms Kalaluka wondered whether people believed that Covid-19 was deadly.

The DC stated that non-compliance was more prevalent in males.

"In order to increase voluntary compliance with COVID-19 measures, public health campaigners should implement strategies that foster moral obligation and trust in authorities, or leverage trustworthy individuals in the community to disseminate information.

"My appeal is for the people of Zimba to follow the guidelines given by the Ministry of Health because the second wave of this Covid-19 pandemic is very serious and it killing a lot of people countrywide," she said.

Zimba District has experienced an increase in the number of Covid-19 cases and deaths.