The Fight Against Covid-19 Should Go Beyond Talking

This is the new normal. Am sure you have heard this phrase many times. But we shall continue singing it. It is the new normal and the world will never be the same again. It for us, human beings to adapt, fall in the line, and learn to live.

The Covid-19 pandemic has changed the world. People are no longer associating the way they used to. Businesses have shut down, movement around the world disrupted, people lost their lives and hopelessness is open and clear around the globe.

Kenya has not been spared from the Covid-19 menace. They say numbers don’t lie. Stats show that at least 2,000,000 Kenyans have lost their jobs as a result of the pandemic. Kenya Bankers says that 1.7 million Kenyans lost jobs in the first three months.

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In a country where Kenya National Bureau of Statistics estimates that 450,000 businesses are shutting down annually, 30,000 monthly, and 1,000 daily, the coming of the pandemic dealt a huge blow on the already ailing economy.

In Kenya, from 3 January 2020 to 4:24 pm CEST, 24 June 2021, there have been 180,498 confirmed cases of COVID-19 with 3,514 deaths, reported to WHO. As of 23 June 2021, a total of 1,201,325 vaccine doses have been administered.

The virus continues to sweep across the country. Currently, the infection is intense in such counties as Kisumu, Migori, Bungoma among others. The government has since revised curfew hours in those counties to run from 7 pm daily.

With the rising numbers, the chances of the country going into another major lockdown are very high. This will be another huge blow to businesses and the daily livelihood of millions of Kenyans. The country cannot afford another lockdown this time.

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But as the Covid-19 continues to spread, we are to blame, right from our politicians. President Uhuru Kenyatta announced the banning of all gatherings of any nature. This was aimed at curbing the spread of the virus during huge crowds.

Unfortunately, the President himself has been leading the country in breaking the same rules that he announces. He has been leading people in gatherings, the latest and the largest being the celebration of Madaraka Day that was held in Kisumu. And we can see the numbers.

Our leaders have failed to lead by example in the fight against Covid-19. They have become super spreaders and soon, the next wave will come knocking and we might be too overwhelmed to handle it. It is time we wake up from the stupor.

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When Covid-19 came knocking, Kenyans were alert. Water tanks were erected in strategic points for Kenyans to wash their hands. Sanitizing one’s hands was the order of the day. But now, the handwashing joints have no water. No soap. No sanitizing.

Kenyans are increasingly abandoning putting on masks. We are literally dancing with death and if we will not be careful, there will be a funeral soon. We should go back to being to taking care and purpose to finish this pandemic once and for all.

The government should take the issue of vaccination seriously. The budget has already allocated funds for the procurement of the vaccines. The numbers so are not encouraging. The fact that we are depending on donations is even scarier.