•Plan all your trips around the curfew, including any delays so that you get home before the curfew starts.
Image: MARGRET WANJIRU
In less than two hours, a countrywide curfew will take effect and Kenyans will be expected to be at home or risk arrest if they are not among workers offering essential services.
Coronavirus has taken over the world. We are receiving information about the virus from every corner.
The government announced that every Kenyan is required to be indoors by 7pm till 5am. During this period, you are required to stay indoors and this will help in containing the spread of the virus.
So how can you deal with the curfew?
1. Make sure you plan your trips and are indoors well before the curfew takes effect
Plan all your trips around the curfew, including any delays so that you get home before the curfew starts.
Once home, stay indoors and make sure that you wash your hands with soap and running water. It is also advisable to change the clothes you used.
Nairobi resident Moses says that it will be a hustle to stay indoors because he runs a grocery business and his customers go to his kibanda from around 6pm.
"The curfew will affect my business but I actually understand what is happening. I'm not about to risk my health just to satisfy my customers. So I'm choosing to respect the instructions given."
Njeri says that she puts her business first and was not willing to close her business early.
"What am I supposed to do? I have family members who are looking up to me to provide food on the table."
"I can't work from home since I sell second hand clothes and shoes for a living. The government needs to think about different ways to help us work credibly."
IG Hillary Mutyambai said those who do not follow the curfew will be arrested.
2. Avoid unnecessary travel
If you are someone who buys one item at a time and is in the habit of regularly going to the supermarket, you will need to change tack and buy everything at once because now is not the time to be outdoors when you don't need to.
3. Buy food in bulk
Kenyans are buying foodstuff in bulk because they are in a panic mode.
Supermarkets are swamped with people shopping in bulk because they are trying to adhere to what the government says.
Susan complains that Kenyans are exaggerating when it comes to shopping.
"I'm sparing my time to do some shopping but when someone picks all the tissue rolls, then it's quite clear that I'm limited to what I'm supposed to buy. Service providers should look for a way to limit the amount of things people are supposed to acquire," Susan lamented.
Kenya has recorded 31 cases as of Friday and the country recorded the first fatality and one recovery.
Five counties have been marked as hotspots. The counties are Nairobi with 21 cases, Kajiado with one case, Kwale also with one case, Mombasa has three cases and Kilifi has six cases.