We must not let our guard down

As Zimbabweans celebrate the Easter holidays, there is need to emphasise the point that this is not the time to let our guard down in the fight against Covid-19.

We are into our second year of national lockdowns to slow down the coronavirus infections and understandably fatigue is setting in among most people.

There is a lot of frustration because the restrictions have made it difficult for most people to work to put food on the table for their families and it has altered the way people socialise.

In Zimbabwe, the impact on livelihoods has been enormous with a recently released Zimbabwe Vulnerability Assessment Committee report revealing that a staggering 42% of urban households will not be able to meet their cereal requirements this year compared to about 30% for the same period in 2019.

The spike in the number of food-insecure people in urban areas has been blamed on lockdowns imposed starting last year to slow down the spread of Covid-19.

Despite repeated promises, the government has not been able to offer enough support to vulnerable groups during the lockdowns.

This is precisely why Zimbabweans need to adhere to World Health Organisation (WHO) recommendations to stop the spread of the coronavirus that include avoiding crowded places, maintaining physical distancing and maintaining high standards of hygiene.

There is no cure for Covid-19 yet, hence prevention remains the best way to keep the disease at bay.

Zimbabwe is among a number of countries globally that have started vaccinating their populations as a way of minimising the impact of the pandemic.

Immunisation coverage, however, remains very low in Zimbabwe with 100 000 people having received their first Covid-19 jab by Friday.

Zimbabwe is chasing a target of vaccinating 10 million people or 60% of the population to reach herd immunity and this means that we are still far off from a situation where we can afford to relax.

It is, therefore, imperative that people continue to be vigilant and adhere to WHO guidelines to slow down the spread of the pandemic.

Zimbabweans need to minimise travel during the long weekend and avoid big gatherings.

It will be tough for people to keep indoors during the Easter holidays when they are used to going to church and spending time with relatives during this time, but it is necessary for Zimbabwe to do all it can to avoid a potentially deadly third wave of the Covid-19 outbreak.

As seen with the second wave that set in shortly after the December holidays, the country has no capacity to handle a big outbreak and this leads to unnecessary loss of lives.