Coronavirus has caused a scare among people all over the world but Kenyans are just panicking, especially because it is not clearly understood what exactly it is.
The Government of Kenya is doing great to sensitise and educate all its citizens about the disease, how it spreads, its symptoms and how to stay safe and protect others from it.
Immediately after President Uhuru Kenyatta addressed the nation on the first confirmed cases in the country, Kenyans rushed to stores to buy as much toilet paper, soap, sanitizer and wet tissues as they would ever need – not considering every other person who else is in need of the items.
Unless they bought them then went into hibernation in quarantine, they are still at risk of catching the virus because they will be in contact with the rest of the population that found all the products out of stock.
We should all take handwashing with a lot more seriousness now that our lives are on the line. We should also all adhere to the directives given by the President on how to contain the spread of the virus that has now affected 30 African countries. Schools are closed, public gatherings banned – including the ‘unstoppable BBI reggae’ – and people advised to work from home to minimise contact with anyone as some people are said to be infected but not showing any symptoms yet.
The government should take up the initiative of sanitizing public spaces as was seen in China. Public transport still stands between Kenya ans safety from the virus as a lot of contact happens in the vehicles alongside the exchange of cash between hands. This poses a risk of contagion amid all other efforts we are making to stay safe from it. Let’s also make hand washing a culture as with shaking hands.
Nairobi
