COVID-19: Easing of restrictions should mean more personal vigilance

THE world is still being hammered left, right and centre by the stubborn coronavirus with daily cases of close to 300 000 and deaths hovering around 6 000.

There are no signs of the disease abating globally as United States, Brazil and India are quaking with untold morbidity and mortality.

European countries like France, the United Kingdom and Spain seem to be having a second wave of the coronavirus attack since daily deaths are now on the rise with an increasing number of new cases.

COVID-19 infection rates are soaring in a number of countries several months into the gruelling lockdowns induced by the pandemic across the globe.

The 1918-20 Spanish flu came in three waves, during which it killed at least 50 million people the world over, making it more deadly than World War I which killed about 20 million people.

The first wave of the Spanish flu occurred in the spring of 1918.

It was highly contagious, but not very virulent, with official deaths similar to the seasonal flu.

People celebrated that the virus had disappeared but in autumn, the virus re-emerged in a terrifying second wave, the most severe of the three.

The United States lost about 266 000 people just between September and December 1918.

Many researchers attributed the increased virulence of the Spanish flu to mutations as influenza viruses are prone to point mutations called antigenic drift that allow them to evade existing immunity from previous infections.

The Zimbabwean government, like many other African governments, has further eased restrictions which will see schools being opened for examination classes, intercity buses will now start to ply their routes, business working hours have been extended to 1830 hours, while airspace has been opened up and the tourism sector is to start rolling.

The economy has been on a standstill since the lockdown restrictions were imposed in March and so many sectors of the economy were affected.

Vending has been one of the most affected informal sectors of the economy and considering that many Zimbabweans are not formally employed, this has taken a toll on the general living standards of many in the country.

Easing of the lockdown does not mean that we have succeeded in getting rid of the coronavirus pandemic.

Instead, that should be a signal that at personal level, we should be very responsible.

Any loss of vigilance on COVID-19 means that we may be caught off guard by another wave.

We should never be complacent when we are dealing with pandemics.

The infamous September 28, 1918 Philadelphia Liberty Loans Parade saw about 200 000 Americans coming out on the streets to promote the sale of US war bonds.

The result was a catastrophe, where 10 000 people died from the Spanish flu within a month.

Today, lessons can be drawn from the 1918 pandemic and it is important to follow some basic principles if we are to remain safe as a country.

The following measures should be observed:

• Public health measures like social distancing should remain in place as long as COVID-19 remains in this world.

Opening of the economy is never a substitute for public health measures.

The wearing of face masks should remain in place in order to minimise the spread of the virus.

• Correct information dissemination should remain in place so that hotspots can be easily identified.

Our data collection systems should be magnified and upgraded so that we do not lose any important data.

• The opening of schools calls for collective effort from parents and school authorities.

While temperature checking with infrared thermometers has been practised by many including in shops, public places, the level of information is not profound.

We should realise that there are so many asymptomatic patients (those who do not harbour any symptoms).

Checking the temperature of a patient who has just taken painkillers may not be reflective of reality as many of these painkillers are anti-pyretics.

They lower the body temperature so they may mask symptoms.

Daily physical observation and assessment of learners should be done and any signs of illness should be reported to health authorities.

It would be wise if schools work hand-in-glove with the nearest health facilities instead of relying on council or government health officials only.

This may include collaborating with available practitioners who can include private practitioners to do quick assessments of the suspected sick learners.

Let us keep our learners healthy.

It is your duty to maintain your health. Be extra alert if you are a diabetic or you have a diabetic at home.

Keep your sugar levels wellcontrolled. It is your responsibility to keep our nation healthy.

Together we can win the war against COVID-19.