Vigilance needed as Zimbabwe prepares to easy the lockdown

As Zimbabwe begins to ease the lockdown measures instituted to control the COVID-19 pandemic, there is a risk of a resurgence of the pandemic. Most people mistakenly took the Lockdown as a sort of a holiday.

The fatal mistake people are making is the false security where they believe that the easing of restrictions means that the pandemic is also eased.

The fruits of such ignorance and early reports of this are already emerging from some countries.

However the likely impacts of easing restrictions at this point in the pandemic have not been quantified so Zimbabwe is taking precautions and the easing of the restrictions does not mean that the virus is over. Many people are labouring under the mistaken belief that CORONA VIRUS ends when restrictions are lifted. This is a myth which will take many to their graves.

Some countries have introduced population health, tracing systems and health care services. Zimbabwean minister of health and the Vice President Dr Chiwenga has hinted on a serious health care reform.

Careful approach to eased restrictions substantially mitigate the impact of the COVID-19 epidemic within the country.

Zimbabwe needs information for developing public health policy for the next stages of the pandemic should it come back.

Zimbabwe had taken six months for the people to put up with restrictions on their freedom of a kind that we have never seen since the war of freedom. Many Zimbabweans have shown the good sense to support those rules overwhelmingly.

However we had some in the opposition who seriously wanted to cause havoc.

Despite all the noise makers Zimbabweans have acquitted themselves very well and our forces did so well in enforcing the rules in the best interest of public health.

We do know that there were some officers who were overzealous but their evil deeds did not tarnish the purpose of the lockdown. Zimbabwe escaped the eye of COVID 19. But this must not make the nation relax. The journey is long and hard and we are still on it Zimbabweans did put up with all the hardships of that programme of social distancing and the economy did suffer.

CORONA VIRUS is a very new virus we must therefore understand that as things stand, and as the experience of every other country has shown, it's the only way to defeat the coronavirus – the most vicious threat this country has faced in our generation.

It can not be overlooked that by adopting those measures Zimbabweans prevented their country from being engulfed by what could have been a catastrophe in which the reasonable worst-case scenario was unimaginable.

As a nation we must thank the president for taking a bold move to enforce the rules and sacrifice in stopping the spread of this disease that the death rate is coming down and hospital admissions are coming down. It is because of his decision that we saved many lives and protected our health system which was limping.

In the face of lifting the restrictions it will be total madness to throw away that achievement by allowing a second spike. We need to stay vigilant and protect our nation. We must stay alert the virus is till with us. As we learn more ways of beating the virus we must be ready to jump back in the hiding again in order for us to save lives.

While we pick up pieces left strewn in our pathway we must see the desolation of our economy our schools and the complete change of our way of life. These are the marks of victory. The marks of freedom. The fruits of freedom are watered by the blood and sweat of hard work.

As we open the economy again we must look up and thank God for this time. Let us pull up our belts many will be jobless broke and hungry but these are the the pains of giving birth. Zimbabwe will be back to prosperity. Covid was not a test it was real and it is real. It has become clear that our priority is to protect the public and save lives, so we shall not be foolish and celebrate the lifting of the restrictions. Lets take this as a small window to breathe. Our reaction to a national pandemic reflects on how other countries will treat us should we visit them. So to chart our progress and to avoid going back to square one, we must always think health first.

Zimbabwe will come back from this devilish illness. We will come back to health, and robust health. And though the Country has been changed by this experience, we can be stronger and better than ever before. But for now, we must stay alert, control the virus and save lives. Zimbabwe is the only country we can call ours in the whole world. Relaxed restrictions does not mean the end of COVID19.

Vazet2000@yahoo.co.uk