Chronicle Editor
Yoliswa Dube-Moyo, Matabeleland South Bureau Chief
Covid-19 pandemic fatigue has evidently set in in much of Gwanda district’s populated areas of Colleen Bawn, Gwanda town, West Nicholson and Vumbachikwe.
It is now common to see locals going about their business without face masks, sanitising their hands or maintaining social distance as part of measures to curb the spread of the deadly pandemic.
Shops no longer offer sanitisers or require shoppers entering them to wear face masks.
On many lazy afternoons, people are seen sitting outside general dealer stores sipping on their favourite beverages in groups, even exchanging the drink.
They play slug, share cheerful banter and dance to music.
At Hantinya Kiosk along the Gwanda-Beitbridge Highway, it was as though time had stood still for a moment as everyone visiting the shops early that afternoon gazed at an alien figure that had arrived wearing a face mask.
The late legendary musician Oliver Mtukudzi’s Bvuma blurred from the speakers of one store while sungura maestro Alick Macheso’s Petunia could be heard from the other shop.
It was just the music and stares; no more talking or laughing until hushed tones could be heard, as though they were reassurances that there was no need to be alarmed.
“A lot of people here believe because they have gone for so long without catching Covid-19, it’s not there among us.
We’ve since given up on asking people to wear face masks because they don’t comply,” said Ms Sithokozile Nare, an attendant at Hantinya Kiosk.
She said people go about their business without a care in the world.
“We’re being looked after by God, there’s no better explanation.
It can only be God who has kept this virus away from us for so long,” said Ms Nare.
Mr Bekithemba Dube from the Vumbachikwe area believes Covid-19 is a thing of the past.
“It’s long gone and people are just worried over nothing,” he charged.
“It’s time people start living their lives as before and forget about Covid-19.”
Vendors, transport operators, food outlet staff and locals in general are seen without face masks despite the fact that we are not out of the woods yet.
Commenting on Covid-19 complacency in small towns and peri-urban centres across the district, Gwanda district medical officer Dr Blessed Gwarimbo said there was a need to prioritise messaging on Covid-19.
“The messaging on Covid-19 is still going out there.
We’re still advising people to prioritise on Covid-19 regulations such as wearing of face masks and social distancing.
As the Ministry of Health and Child Care, we’re still preaching that gospel, but maybe people have relaxed.
In order to implement the regulations, what is needed is not the
Ministry of Health, but the police.
They’re the ones who are supposed to implement those regulations,” said Dr Gwarimbo.
He said another contributing factor might be the focus on vaccinations as opposed to messaging on Covid-19 as the country seeks to reach herd immunity.
“Right now, as the ministry, we’re pushing vaccinations and might have slowed down on the messaging.
We’re trying to reach herd immunity and ensure that the population is protected,” said Dr Gwarimbo.
So far, 4,4 million citizens have received their first Covid-19 jab and 3,4 million have received their second dose while 177 000 have received their third jab.
The country is targeting to vaccinate at least 10 million citizens for it to achieve herd immunity.
National police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi said members of the public should adhere to Covid-19 regulations and assist the country in its cause to stop the spread of the virus.
“We are enforcing Covid-19 regulations on a daily basis.
The Government has made it clear that the wearing of face masks, social distancing and the issue of sanitisation are still in force.
The public should also complement efforts being made by the police and the Government so that they don’t cry foul if they’re arrested,” said Asst Comm Nyathi.
On March 20, police arrested 1 878 people for various offences related to Covid-19.
The cumulative number of arrests since March 2020 stands at 1 600 417.
Two years since the country recorded its first Covid-19 case, there have been more than 244 452 cases, 234 270 recoveries, 5 423 deaths and 4 700 active cases.
The pandemic saw the Government introducing national lockdowns, mandatory wearing of face masks to contain the spread of the virus while capacitating health institutions to handle those that need treatment and hospitalisation.
Initially, only Wilkins Hospital in Harare was designated a Covid-19 treatment centre, but now all the country’s provinces are able to handle severe Covid-19 cases.
The country has one of the leading Covid-19 vaccination programmes on the continent and on Monday launched a massive vaccination programme for it to achieve herd immunity.
National Covid-19 Taskforce Co-ordinator Dr Agnes Mahomva said a low-risk perception was causing some people to procrastinate on getting vaccinated.
“We did have a survey that was done in September 2021 by a global team of experts, we do this regularly, which clearly indicated that over 92 percent of people are willing to be vaccinated in Zimbabwe.
The main challenge is the low-risk perception.
In other words, people seem to think at an individual level that Covid-19 is not going to do anything to them.
They say ‘the pandemic is there, but is not going to affect me’.
Hence, because of the low-risk perception, they don’t go out to be vaccinated.
This doesn’t mean they are not willing to be vaccinated, but they are procrastinating because of the low-risk perception,” said Dr Mahomva.
She said the country has managed to navigate through four waves of the pandemic which have served as a learning curve for the country in case management.
Dr Mahomva said following the strategies that were adopted by the country, Zimbabwe has recorded fewer deaths compared to some well-resourced countries.
“You’ll notice that we didn’t get hit by a large number of cases if we compare it to other countries.
We also managed to introduce the vaccination programme earlier than anyone in the African continent.
As we speak, our vaccination programme remains one of the leading programmes on the African continent.”
Dr Mahomva said from the country’s Covid-19 management there is hope at the end of the tunnel.
“We have learnt a lot of lessons and the pandemic is still here like all over the world.
We are aware the numbers are beginning to go up in China and America.
But the good thing is we learnt some lessons, we have had experience.
We are not in panic mode, we are very ready because the strategies required to manage any cases are very clear and we are ready to continue strengthening and moving on,” she said.
Dr Mahomva said while other countries have started relaxing Covid-19 regulations, including making optional the wearing of face masks in public, the country was not yet ready to take that route.
She said the threat of a fifth wave is real hence it will not be proper to let the guard down.
– @Yolisswa
Online Reporter