Environmental Health Expert calls on the Government to urgently heighten COVID-19 prevention measures.
“The resurgence of COVID-19 should be taken seriously”, said Mr William Phiri, an environmental health specialist who is also the Head of Strategic Partnerships, Innovations and Business Development at the Lusaka Environmental Health University (LEHU).
He explained that the new COVID-19 cases that have been recorded, are a wakeup call to all Zambians who in the past few months have seemingly put their guard down.
Mr Phiri emphasized the importance of adhering to the well-known and yet not-so-well observed five golden rules, namely: 1. Washing hands frequently with soap and water or using an alcohol-based hand sanitiser, 2. Wearing a clean face mask correctly and consistently whenever in a crowded public or private place, 3. Keeping physical distancing, 4. Avoid crowded places, and 5. Visiting the nearest health care facility whenever unwell.
He noted that observing the five Golden Rules would prevent lockdowns which in the past have had a negative impact on the economy.
Mr Phiri disclosed that the Lusaka Environmental Health University will endeavour to work in close collaboration with both Government and the private sector in adopting epidemic prevention and mitigation measures
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Health says the government is aware of the surge in the number og COVID-19 cases across the country.
Ministry of Health Permanent Secretary in charge of Technical Services Lackson Kasonka stated that the Ministry of Health is keeping watch to ensure that the country does not spiral out of control as the rise in COVID-19 cases is different from what the country had previously experienced.
Mr Kasonka added that the country should return to putting in place preventive measures starting with masking up, washing hands, maintaining social distance and congregating when necessary.
“We as the Ministry of Health through the Zambia Public Health Institute keep nature of the COVID-19 situation, remember we have always said that COVID-19 will not end anywhere until it ends everywhere, there’s COVID in China, and we are getting the spill over from there, so, we have recognised that in the last two weeks the number of patients testing positive for COVID-19 according to the statistics have continued to rise hence, we are not alarming anybody as the rise not what we experienced in the past as it is a steady rise, that we should be worried and concerned about, and as the Ministry of Health, we are trying to ensure that this doesn’t go out of control, you can see that we have started wearing masks in our hospitals starting with ourselves as health workers,” he disclosed
Mr Kasonka cited the need to going back to putting in place the five golden rules prevent measures starting with masking up, observing social distancing, using an alcohol based hand sanitizer, and washing hands with soap.
He noted that when the Ministry sees that the situation is getting worse, as technocrants they will seek recommendations on what next to do from the committee as it is in the best interest of the Ministry that the security and safety of the Zambian people is ensured.
“For us we have learnt a lot of lessons from COVID-19, which is very good for us, as it will help us to know exactly what to do in an event that the situation gets out of hand, but again we are hopeful that given the vaccination coverage we have attained so far, we may not go back to that situation we where in, in the past, but this doesn’t mean that we should seat back comfortably and relax, lets continue to get vaccinated against COVID-19,” Mr Kasonka said
