×
NewsDay

AMH is an independent media house free from political ties or outside influence. We have four newspapers: The Zimbabwe Independent, a business weekly published every Friday, The Standard, a weekly published every Sunday, and Southern and NewsDay, our daily newspapers. Each has an online edition.

COVID-19: This is not the time to lower our guard

Opinion & Analysis
IT was extremely worrying earlier this week to hear health experts say there are concerned with the rate at which COVID-19 infections are spreading. One expert went to the extent of suggesting that schools were becoming the biggest super spreaders of COVID-19 and government should consider closing them before the situation spirals out of control. […]

IT was extremely worrying earlier this week to hear health experts say there are concerned with the rate at which COVID-19 infections are spreading.

One expert went to the extent of suggesting that schools were becoming the biggest super spreaders of COVID-19 and government should consider closing them before the situation spirals out of control.

What this means is that Zimbabwe is witnessing the onset of the dreaded third wave of the pandemic and tight precautionary measures must be put in place to prevent the spread of the disease.

Our worry is that people have relaxed and basic preventive measures against COVID-19 are no longer being followed.

This is unacceptable because we risk witnessing another round of mass death like what happened during winter last year, and during the final quarter of the year when schools were briefly opened.

Government must ensure that it quickly brings the nation to order so that we do not lose lives unnecessarily.

It must make sure that steps are taken to ensure that when pupils come back for holiday, the rate of infection is kept under control, given that the recent spike in infections were recorded at schools.

Pupils who will show signs and symptoms of COVID-19 when they return home should be strictly quarantined to prevent another surge in community infections.

This must be accompanied by measures to prevent unnecessary travel, yet making sure industries keep running to prevent the shortage of basic commodities.

Most importantly, government must scale up vaccination to make sure teachers and other professionals who come into contact with children are safe.

There should be a serious campaign, as winter kicks in, to make sure that more people get vaccinated.

The important thing for now is to attain herd immunity, which is about 10 million people and it’s incumbent upon all of us to ensure this is achieved.

We urge government and the entire society to work together to make sure Zimbabwe keeps the scourge at bay.