Let’s make this winter different

IT has been long since the Government announced changes to the lockdown measures.

By and large, this means as a country we are managing to contain the Covid-19 situation.

For that, all stakeholders deserve credit but the silence on the part of the Government does not mean the war against this pandemic is over, not by a long shot.

Sadly, complacency has started creeping in.

Our behaviour of late, with regards to Covid-19, has been sad and conducive for the spread of the disease.

We are back to our normal lives as if there is no Covid-19. This is dangerous.

People are not really taking the Government or World Health Organisation’s advice seriously.

President Mnangagwa put it very well when he said, “act like you have the virus.”

These measures are there for our own good as a nation which wants to avoid Covid-19.

Ironically, we were more afraid of Covid-19 when only a handful of people in the country had the virus than we are now when we have as many as over 700 active cases in the country.

It is still important to always avoid the disease by wearing our masks, whenever we are in public.

Many people are beginning to ignore such basic measures because we have lived with the pandemic for close to two years now.

What many are forgetting is that we have lost thousands of people to this pandemic over the same period.

In fact, 5469 people had succumbed to Covid-19 by April 30, and this is no small figure.

We must keep doing the basics right for us to ensure we dodge the bullet in this pandemic.

We must still stay at home and ensure that our families are safe. It is that simple.

We must still wear our masks correctly and consistently.

We must still practice social distancing to avoid spreading or contracting this virus because it is still deadly.

Now is the time to take drastic personal measures on our own.

Do not wait for the Government to announce these measures.

And, please keep the President’s words in mind.

He said he wants all of us to act as if we already have the virus.

“Would you want to infect your friends? Would you want to infect your families? Would you want to infect your countrymen?

“Of course not. So keep your distance - two metres away from each other. Don’t touch your face. Wash your hands.”

Following this wise counsel might well be the difference between containing Covid-19 and falling into another wave of the virus.

We had waves in the last two winters.

Let’s make this winter different.