Never lose guard, Covid-19 is still with us
“THE coronavirus that causes the Covid-19 disease will always be with us, and may become more contagious, but probably less dangerous, while still requiring caution to keep from getting sick.”
The above were sentiments by a US Kentucky medical expert recently when talking to the media. “In many ways it will be like influenza,” fought with vaccines adjusted annually to keep up with mutations of the virus, said Dr Jon Klein, vice dean of medical research at the University of Louisville.
Another medical expert said: “If there is anything we have learned from the pandemic, it’s that the future is not pre-ordained. There is a lot that is up to us. Yes, we are dealing with a very contagious virus. Yes, we are unfortunately seeing an uptick again in cases. And yes, I am concerned about what will happen this winter, because we saw from last year that when the weather is colder, people go indoors, where the risk of transmission is higher.”
Advice from medical experts and government is that even if the numbers of new cases are not as alarming as before, with the recovery rate looking pretty, it is however, not time to lose guard. Citizens have been urged to continue with Covid19 prevention measures, to ensure that the country does not slide backwards in terms of infections and deaths attributed to the virus.
Last week, Cabinet resolved to relax some Covid-19 measures and regulations as follows: that the business hours for the hospitality industry be extended to now cover the period 0800 hours to 0300 hours the following day; that, while enforcement of Covid19 regulations must continue, the curfew which is currently running from 12 mid night to 0530 hours has been lifted; and that implementation of all Covid-19 public health and social measures must continue to be strengthened.
Regarding the national vaccination programme, Cabinet said that, as at 20 June 2022, a total of 6 264 867 first doses of the Covid-19 vaccine had been administered, while 4 602 713 people had received their second dose, and 856 440 their third dose. This translates to a national coverage of 55,7%, compared to the 55,6% recorded the previous week. Cabinet also called upon all citizens that have not been vaccinated to present themselves for vaccination at centres nearest to them.
Citizens are also urged to resist pressure from the AntiVaccination Movement, as getting vaccinated has been scientifically proven to save lives. This is because there seems to be a stubborn habit among human beings to be denialist and ignorant of some of the grave threats to life.
Some of us tend to generate and embrace some comforting and denialist myths in the face of threats to existence and life on earth. This is a tragic human habit that is as dangerous as any pandemic. The same mythical and denialist habit is wagging its ugly head around the coronavirus pandemic and the vaccination drives that are being advanced by governments of countries.
Like those denialists and mythmakers that dismiss climate change as a hoax the anti-vaxers as they are called advance many false but persuasive arguments against Covid-19 vaccines and the virus itself. They are so convinced and also convincing in their arguments and have thrown Governments’ efforts at vaccinating as many people as possible into confusion and much pessimism. What philosophers call the “fragile absolute” is exactly that false but strong and persuasive information that fools even some of the most discerning people around us (Cetshwayo, 2021).