A WHOLE new set of problems has arisen in the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic. Now there is a new variant, detected in Botswana and South Africa, two of Zambia’s closest business allies.
The cross border traders frequenting the borders of these countries from Zambia are too many, and this is the worry which this new variant presents.
Former Health minister, Dr Jonas Chanda, has warned that the country needs to sit and tackle this new problem.
The only positive note from this is that the country will not be dealing with a problem it does not know. Yes, it is a new variant. But this is in the same family of the Covid-19 pandemic.
We think that it is in the best interest of everyone that Government reviews the Covid-19 situation in the country and imposes restrictions as suggested by Dr Chanda.
Dr Chanda suggests that very aggressive Covid-19 prevention measures should be immediately introduced to avert the new deadly variant which has been detected in South Africa and other countries.
Dr Chanda has warned that failure by Government to institute immediate action against Covid-19 will not only lead to the overwhelming of the health sector but also collapse the country’s economy.
Dr Chanda said once the country imports the new variant considering the low level of adherence to the Covid-19 preventive measures, it will be very difficult to contain the virus.
“Already, we are expecting the fourth wave to hit and imagine with the new variant that has been detected in South Africa, definitely it will be a disaster which will overwhelm the health sector and collapse the economy,” he warned.
As the former minister says, it is important that surveillance at the country’s entry points such as airports and border posts is intensified.
While acknowledging that the country may not afford to close off borders, because we need to bring in medicines and many other imports, the government can ensure that this is done safely.
As a land-linked country, Zambia faces a greater danger of admitting people who have been exposed to this new variant. This is the more reason that efforts to stop such from happening should be intensified.
While international airports such as the Kenneth Kaunda International Airport, Simon Mwansa Kapwepwe and Harry Mwaanga Nkumbula have maintained rigorous checks for Covid, the same can not be said about the other border points where people freely walk across.
At this point, Government needs to look at what is happening in public places, where the observance of Covid-19 prevention measures is now alien.
Few malls even insist on masking up. Such are the levels which this nation has reached with the relaxation of the Covid-19 regulations.
Masks have become alien in restaurants or any other public place, other than hospitals.
Health Minister, Sylvia Masebo, recently pointed out that the government was ready for the fourth wave. Hopefully this means that resources have been mobilised to fight the Covid-19 pandemic in its new form.
Most importantly however, everyone needs to be reminded to mask up, to wash hands, sanitise regularly, no shaking hands and no gathering in huge crowds.
There is a dangerous perception that Covid-19 ended with the August 12 elections. To the contrary, Covid-19 never went anywhere, it was just hibernating and is now back, in another new form.
Now is the ime to make those vaccinations matter by rolling out the programme to all parts of the country.
