COMMENT: Victory over Covid-19 is within grasp

When Government introduced stringent lockdown measures, many felt hard done as livelihoods, lifestyles and routines were seriously disrupted.

Government measures, including social distancing and restricting travelling, were aimed at “flattening the curve” and help in eliminating new Covid-19 cases.

Flattening the curve refers to using protective practices to slow the rate of Covid-19 infection so hospitals have room, supplies and doctors for all of the patients who need care.

In Zimbabwe, flattening the curve was extremely necessary as the health sector was not going to cope with spiking serious Covid-19 cases. Bigger economies like the United States, Italy, Brazil, Russia, Mexico and Spain had a torrid time in containing the same.

World Health Organisation (WHO) director-general Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus on Monday said coronavirus is “easily the most severe” public health emergency the organisation has ever faced. The pandemic is history in the making.

Ever since China’s first confirmed Covid-19 case traced back to November 17, 2019, the world has been on its toes.

Zimbabwe’s Government had to act, and act fast.

Draconian measures were put in place to ensure public compliance.

Among those strict measures, Government promulgated Statutory Instrument (SI) of 2020 that provides for up to 12 months imprisonment for people who gather in crowds of more than 50.

Now about six months after the first lockdown, victory over Covid-19 is within grasp.

On Wednesday, the country recorded one Covid-19 positive case and 181 recoveries, giving hope that the battle against the pandemic is being won.

According to the Health and Child Care Ministry daily Covid-19 update, out of the 467 PCR diagnostic tests done on Wednesday, Matabeleland North recorded the only positive case which brought the country’s total number of confirmed cases to 7 838.

Although this was Matabeleland North’s 135th case, the province has the least number of confirmed cases in the country. Harare and Bulawayo lead with 3 252 and 1 447 cases, respectively.
Zimbabwe has 228 Covid-19 related deaths.

Tests done on Wednesday also saw 181 recoveries being reported with Matabeleland South recording 174 recoveries, Manicaland six and Bulawayo one.

Zimbabwe now has a total of 6 303 recoveries while the national recovery rate now stands at 80 percent.

On Monday, public schools reopened for the Zimbabwe School Examinations Council (Zimsec) examination classes with both staff and students adhering to the mandatory Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) in response to Covid-19 to ensure compliance.

Schools were prematurely closed in March as part of Government measures to curb the spread of Covid-19 by avoiding large crowds.

Fears by some sectors in the education sector that the opening of schools could be premature are being dispelled by statistics.

We commend Government for taking the Covid-19 threat seriously and taking the bull by the horns before it was too late.

Eventually the war against the Covid-19 pandemic will be won and we all will be thanking Government for being strict.