Chronicle Editor
Nqobile Tshili, Chronicle Reporter
HEALTH experts yesterday welcomed the tightened lockdown regulations announced by the Government saying they have been necessitated by the citizens’ failure to adhere to Covid-19 regulations meant to curb the spread of the pandemic.
During the festive season the country recorded a sharp increase in Covid-19 cases with 1342 cases and 29 deaths being reported in a week, marking the highest number of infections and deaths to be ever recorded since March last year.
Vice President and Health and Child Care Minister Dr Constantino Chiwenga on Saturday announced strict 30-day lockdown measures as the country grapples to contain a surge in Covid-19 cases.
The new measures include a dusk to dawn curfew and shutting down of non essential services. The essentail services’ operating hours have been reduced and now open at 8am and close at 3pm.
Public gatherings including church services and weddings have been banned while a maximum of 30 people are allowed to attend a funeral.
Health experts said Government had no option but to impose stiff lockdown measures in response to a spike in Covid-19 cases.
They said citizens were behaving as though the country was out of the woods yet it was recording alarming increases in Covid-19 infections and deaths.
The Chronicle yesterday observed that while traditional churches had complied with tightened lockdown measures, a handful of Pentecostal churches and apostolic sects were yet to comply as they held services.
Most shops had not complied with new regulations to close at 3PM.
Acting Bulawayo Provincial Medical Director Dr Welcome Mlilo said failure to observe Covid-19 prevention measures particularly during the festive season could have led to an increase in new cases and the country has started feeling the pinch.
“This lockdown is definitely necessary. The spike in new infections was expected given the hive of activities associated with December and January when Zimbabweans from neighbouring countries like South Africa and Botswana, Europe and America came home for the festivities. Citizens were supposed to be responsible in order to minimise exposure but they did the oppositie as we saw a lot of parties being hosted,” said Dr Mlilo.
“I was shocked to see pictures of a party that was held in Mbare (Harare). If citizens cannot be responsible on their own, it leaves the Government with no option but to impose strict lockdown regulations to protect the people. We do not want our hospitals to be overwhelmed by patients as what is happening in other countries.”
Dr Mlilo said people failed to be responsible hence Government was forced to take away certain freedoms as part of measures to contain the spread of the pandemic.
People are failing to simply wear a mask in public, avoid unnecessary gatherings, maintain social distancing and stopping these parties,” he said.
Dr Mlilo said the country has been witnessing an increase in new infections and there are fears that the worst is yet to come hence the need for people to change behaviour.
Dr Mlilo said if the present trend continues, the country’s health care system may not be able to cope.
“We know that in Zimbabwe we don’t have the capacity that we are seeing across for example in South Africa. In situations like this, we all need to play our roles and I don’t think we have started paying for December festivities.
The Covid-19 has a 14-day incubation period and we fear for the worst in few days to come because of the partying which happened during the festivities,” said Dr Mlilo.
Mpilo Central Hospital acting chief executive officer Professor Solwayo Ngwenya, who has been consistent with his Covid-19 warning message, said the virus can be slowed down if members of the public stop moving around unnecessary.
“The strict lockdown is very relevant because the most important thing about it is that it minimises mixing and mingling of people thereby slowing down the rate of infection. When you have a high rate of infection you can only slow it down by restricting the movement of people.
“What is crucial is to ensure the health facilities are not overwhelmed as a result of the high rate of infection. When health facilities are overwhelmed people will start dying in large numbers,” said Prof Ngwenya.
He said his major concern was that citizens seem not to appreciate the importance of adhering to Covid-19 regulations meant to curb the spread of the pandemic.
“Even today I was in town, the attitude and behaviour is very appalling. People seem not aware that if they wear the mask without covering the nose and mouth it serves no purpose.
“They are seen in supermarkets talking very close to each other, in some places they are not interested in sanitising anymore. I was wondering what else the Government could do to drive the message home,” said Prof Ngwenya.
He said without behaviour change, the present trend will continue and probably new enforcement measures should be implemented to force people to adhere to the regulations.
“People need to play their part and avoid exposing themselves to the virus or help in its spread. We will continue to record an increase in cases as long as people are reckless,” said Prof Ngwenya.
Another Bulawayo based health expert Dr Rita Dlodlo said lockdown is crucial given that the country is not conducting mass testing.
“I welcome it in view of the fact that the statistics from the Health Ministry show a rapid increase in confirmed
Covid-19 cases as well as deaths. We know that not all cases or deaths are recorded, the figures could be much higher than what we know given our limited testing capacity,” said Dr Dlodlo.
She said to contain the virus, the public should strictly adhere to Covid-19 health protocoals such as wearing masks, physical distancing, washing of hands and sanitising. — @nqotshili
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