Handle sex workers threat

Our story today in which sex workers are reportedly prowling areas like the railway line leading to Mufakose from the CBD shows some of the loopholes in the country’s attempts to deal with the Covid-19 pandemic.

The sex workers are reportedly luring many clients and putting them at risk of the coronavirus, STIs and robbery.

However, it is the former that is the more urgent worry as the country needs to contain Covid-19 to return to normalcy.

The prevailing level 4 national lockdown has crippled the economy and the normal way of life.

Populations like those of the sex workers and their clients can clearly not observe recommended measures to control the spread of the virus.

They are practicing sex in the grass along the railway line in very unhygienic situations.

There are no sanitisers nearby, no water to wash hands, and practicing social distancing is virtually impossible with the nature of their business.

This can only mean sex work is an avenue helping in the spread of Covid19.

The National AIDS Council (NAC) has been on record urging sex workers to adhere to Covid-19 regulations as this pandemic knows no boundaries.

Many people have argued that their life has to go on and they have vowed to continue with their trades to make ends meet but the same way their lives cannot stop , this pandemic will continue unabated if we ignore regulations.

Already many countries in the world are suffering second waves of the pandemic and have had to go back to extreme regulations to curb Covid19.

We should learn from their ordeals and avoid falling into the same pitfalls.

We all have to accept that Covid-19 is now with us and in our communities and no matter what we do, as long as we leave our premises and mix with other people, we are at risk.

The risk becomes bigger if the nature of our business includes intimate contact with other people as is the case with sex workers.

Perhaps more than anyone, they face a danger when it comes to Covid19.

Therefore , they have to be very careful to take all measures possible not to transmit or catch the disease.

They have to do more than just stick to the regulations put on board by the Government.

If it means they are sanitising every minute they make contact with people so be it. If it means they are washing their hands more regularly than recommended so be it.

Sex workers must also insist that their clients, potential or real, must observe strictly all government and WHO regulations to avoid catching or spreading the virus.

Sex workers have to put their lives before money or clients and know that life is more important than anything.

Please stay home has now become a cliche that very few pay attention to in Zimbabwe and sex workers have joined that arrogant list.

And yet it has never been more imperative to pay heed to that caution.

If there has ever been a time when it is important for sex workers to stay home and consider other trades with less contact, it is now.