HEALTH experts have recommended that the Government must consider easing tight lockdown restrictions and open up the economy as indications on the ground were that the country has reaped the benefits of the Level Four lockdown that was introduced at the beginning of the year to contain the spread of Covid-19.
According to statistics from the Ministry of Health and
Child Care, at the first week of January when the country introduced the strict
lockdown, the country recorded 6 008 new Covid-19 cases, which by the second
week increased to 6 382, but there has been a steady decline in new infections,
with 4 126 recorded in the third week, 2 266 in the last week of January while
last week (as at Friday) the country had 1 058 new infections.
In terms of deaths in the first week, 106 deaths were recorded,
which went up to 200 in the second week, further increasing to 291 in the third
week. However, the fatalities began to decline to 219 in the last week of
January, with the country recording 110 deaths last week. The Level Four
lockdown is set to end on 15 February.
Although the country is still on high alert, doctors said
Government can now loosen the lockdown and open up more sectors of the economy
to ensure a balance between people’s lives and their livelihoods. Zimbabwe
Medical Association (ZIMA) president Dr Francis Chirowa said although there was
need for an extension of the lockdown so as to arrest the pandemic, there was
need to open up on some sectors of the economy.
“If it was just the pandemic alone, we would want to have
an indefinite lockdown. But because the lockdown has its own effects on the
economy, there is need for Government to loosen up but not completely take it
away. All other measures such as social distancing, sanitisation and masking up
should remain in place. Congregating should not be allowed at all while bars,
saloons and churches should remain closed.
Also, the limited number of 30 people for funerals is okay.
The challenge we have is that people that do not have comorbidities (chronic
conditions) are young and very active and they may have the disease (Covid-19)
but they may be asymptomatic and spreading it,” he said.
Zimbabwe World Health Organisation country representative
Dr Alex Gasasira said the downward trend in the country’s epidemic was a
testimony that the measures put in place by Government have yielded positive
results and citizens have adhered to the regulations and protocols.
Dr Gasasira said for Government to lift the lockdown there
was need for people to comply with Covid-19 protocols of maintaining social
distance, masking up, limiting movements, limiting gatherings and
socialisation.
“What we would recommend for people is to comply with
Government regulations and limit movement, gathering and socialisation.
Compliance to these measures in the absence of lockdown would also mean
Government would not need to enforce the stringent measures.
The idea of lockdown is to ensure minimum movement and
gathering.
“Movement and gatherings give the virus an opportunity to
spread. Let us not give the virus a chance by complying with the measures. The
downward trend of the epidemic gives us the belief that the preventative
measures have been adhered to.
“In other countries where there is compliance transmission
has been kept low and they have relaxed their conditions. Lockdown is usually
the last option,” he said.
Mpilo hospital acting chief executive officer Professor
Solwayo Ngwenya said lockdown measures would always attract debate as there was
need to balance health measures and issues to do with the nation’s economy.
“Lockdowns and coronavirus are now a contentious subject
because on one hand lockdowns cause a lot of economic disruptions. On the other
hand, from a health perspective, a full lockdown is necessary as it helps us
contain this pandemic and avoid mass infections that might lead to the
crippling of the health sector subsequently leading to mass deaths,” said Prof
Ngwenya.
He said the danger with downgrading the lockdown was that
most countries would eventually revert back to full scale lockdown once
infections rise.
“As a country it is difficult for me to comment whether we
are ready or not to relax the lockdown but from where I am, the community I work
from, I believe if we downgrade it might be catastrophic because there is a lot
of infections in the community and a lot of people that are not being tested.
“The countries that are downgrading will actually soon go
back to full scale lockdowns, it’s a vicious cycle, you relax, infections surge
and you go back to full scale lockdown, but that is one thing which we have to
accept because there is also the need for the economy to function,” said Prof
Ngwenya.
Chief Coordinator for the National Response to the Covid-19
in the President’s Office Dr Agnes Mahomva said the downward curve on the
country’s epidemic trend was an indication that the country’s response was on
the right path.
Dr Mahomva said this however, does not rule out the
possibility of a third wave of the pandemic.
“As of Thursday February 4, the country’s cumulative cases
were 34 171 with recoveries at 27 759 which is about 81 percent and deaths were
1288. Bulawayo and Harare metropolitan Provinces continue to be the country’s
main hotspots followed by Manicaland and Mashonaland East,” she said.
Dr Mahomva said the country cannot however, rule out the
possibility of the third wave if citizens relax. She said medical practitioners
must be guided by science on treatment guidelines and protocols. Sunday News
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