By KETRA KALUNGA
ZAMBIA is likely to have the worst scenario of the Covid-19 if the laxity being witnessed continues, National Public Health Institute (NPHI) Director, Victor Mukonka has warned.
Professor Mukonka said the expected fourth wave of Covid-19 would be disastrous if people were completely relaxed in terms of adhering to the preventive guidelines. He said in an interview that the fourth wave would infiltrate very quickly if people were completely unprepared.
Prof Mukonka said the wave might be quite aggressive and severe because chances that it would have undergone mutations were high. “On the other hand, if it finds us adhering to the five golden rules, the virus will find it difficult to spread because we would have blocked the transmission so the effect would be minimal,” he said.
Prof Mukonka urged Zambians to get vaccinated against the virus to prevent the worst scenario. “The control is with us, if a lot of people are vaccinated because it depends on how prepared and ready we are as a nation,” he said.
And government has put together 500 vaccination teams across the country and assured the public that all measures have been put in place to ensure that adequate stocks were available in all the vaccination centres.
Minister of Health Sylvia Masebo has also an – nounced that as part of the ef[1]forts to sustain the vaccination programme, the ministry was scheduled to conduct a two[1]day nation-wide vaccination campaign on September 27 and 28, 2021.
She encouraged all eligible Zambians to take up the opportunity to get vaccinated as a means of getting protected against severe illness and death. Ms Masebo, in a statement issued yesterday also encouraged persons with the symptoms of Tuberculosis to seek medical attention at the nearest health facility without delay and if confirmed, start treatment immediately. She noted that TB had continued to cause ill-health and death in the country, especially in the era of Covid-19.
She reminded the public that while the two diseases had a lot of similarities in the symptoms, TB specific symptoms included cough of any duration, chest pain, fever, night sweats, poor appetite and weight loss
