Mombasa has launched a campaign to senstise children about coronavirus.
So far the county has recorded two cases of children with Covid-19, the youngest being one year and six months.
The county had recorded more than 224 cases of the virus with 17 deaths by Monday.
Children are vulnerable to the disease while they mingle during play.
Due to this, the county government has launched a six-day campaign to sensitise them about the disease by using other children to pass messages about the virus.
Speaking during the launch of the initiative at Uhuru na Kazi premises in Mombasa on Tuesday, county commissioner Gilbert Kitiyo said the campaign would help as children would understand information conveyed by fellow children.
“Children understand better information given by fellow children. That's why you see on TV and radio children's programmes are done by children and they usually enjoy them. So we expect many children will like the messages because they will be passed by children,” he said.
Kitiyo said stopping children from playing together to avoid transmission is difficult.
“Even after the schools have been closed, children still go out to play with other children without knowing that they can contract the disease through that,” he said.
Kitiyo said some children had suffered after they were forced to go into quarantine with their parents.
He said parents should not be wholly blamed for allowing their children to go out to play.
“A parent cannot be with a child for 24 hours because maybe a parent is busy with other engagements and the child just goes outside without the knowledge of the parent. So, it is important the child understands what is happening and that is the importance of this campaign,” Kitiyo said.
County children's director Philip Nzenge said Tononoka, Changamwe and Bamburi are virus hotspots.
He said some of the messages to be passed during the campaign include basic information about the disease and how children can protect themselves.
Edited by Henry Makori
