Dear Editor,
IT is now mandatory for passengers to wear face masks when they board public transport such as buses. What is surprising is that most passengers who board public transport don’t mask up.
This poses a risk to the other passengers to contract the coronavirus due to the fact there is no social distancing on these buses.
There can be some droplets as the person who is not masking up is talking and the person who has Covid-19 can easily spread the coronavirus to the one who is not infected.
It is against this background that people on public transport should always mask up to stem the spread of the coronavirus.
It is true to mention here that Zambia has in the recent past been recording reduced cases of coronavirus. Despite this being the case, it is imperative that people should not drop the guard against Covid-19.
People should continue adhering to the six prevention health guidelines. These health guidelines are masking up, sanitising, washing of hands with soap, observing the social distance, taking of the Covid-19 vaccines and avoiding public gatherings such as weddings for instance.
There hasn’t been compliance of masking up on the part of the passengers on public transport due to lack of enforcement on the part of the police.
On this score, let me hasten to implore the police to ensure that people should always mask up whenever on public transport.
In an event that the driver of the public transport carries passengers without masks, the police should apprehend that particular driver for abrogating the rules.
All said and done, Covid-19 is real and it is still in our midst. In view of this, I would like to appeal to the passengers of public transport to mask up in a bid to prevent the further spread of coronavirus.
On the other hand, the police should up their game by ensuring that passengers of public transport comply by wearing the face masks. Enforcement on the wearing of face masks by passengers on public transport should be the way to go.
ELEMIYA PHIRI,
Lusaka.
