COVID is out, or did I not get the message?

COVID is out, or did I not get the message?

It was inevitable that Kenya would have to unlock the locked down zone of Nairobi, Kajiado, Kiambu, Machakos and Nakuru, and open it up to the rest of the country.  This zone had been on an 8pm to 4am curfew.  This locked us out of the rest of Kenya, who were still having a more favourable time, including shorter curfew times and continued use of their congregational places.  

I knew that this lockdown would have to ease somehow, since the Ministry of Education had already insisted that schools would have to reopen on May 10.  There was no way that students would get to school unless the lockdown was eased, otherwise, how would the travel cross country, when they cannot cross the country?  I however had not imagined that the easing of restrictions would be occurring today.

But was this easing even possible?  Should we even be easing restrictions including the lockdown?  I even believe that the lockdown should instead even be extended to the rest of the country and restrictions made even more stringent!  I believe this because things have gone worse in the world, as far as COVID is concerned.  

Sample this – on that March 26 date of the lockdown, the global infections were 126,256,838 with 2,770,139 deaths.  Kenya numbers were 126,170 and 2,092 respectively.  Though the positivity rate from samples collected in Kenya had gone down from a high of over 30% to the current rate of about 15%, that had not been the case elsewhere in the world.

The current total infections* of COVID19 globally stand at 152,550,779, with 3,200,571 deaths, while Kenyan numbers are 160,053 and 2,744 respectively.  I was not seeing how easing of restrictions was going to be possible based on these figures.  But that is not even it.  A situation had just arisen in India, where confirmed infections were numbering** almost 0.4M daily, while the death toll was about 3,500 daily in the last two days!  Imagine!  3,500 human beings dying each and every day!  

I had seen on AJZ news channel of the untold devastation in India.  The country that is famed for being the leader in vaccine production, and amongst the top COVID19 vaccine producers was buckling under the weight of the same COVID.  Almost half of those dying of COVID19 in the world were dying in India.  This was the worst situation that corona would bring to humanity.  Can it or will is even get worse here or somewhere in the globe?  How worse can it get?  How will that ‘worse’ look like!!

* https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/

** https://graphics.reuters.com/world-coronavirus-tracker-and-maps/countries-and-territories/india/

How was life going to be better at all, when the situation was getting worse with each and every passing day anyway?  I had pondering over this since the morning.

“Mwanzako akinyolewa, tia kichwa chako maji+,” is the saying that came to mind even as I started my activities for this Saturday, May 1, 2021, with those bad corona numbers in mind.  (+When your colleagues is about to be shaved, be ready for being shaved next)

It was yet another May 1 date, but there was no Labour Day for a second year in a row, at least not the pomp and festivities that come with it.  The congregation of workers at commemoration venues was not going to be possible again this year, especially in our disease-infected zone, where congregations had already been banned anyway.  

I did not make much of the day, until I watched the evening news of the day.  And a surprise was awaiting!  The country had eased the restrictions!  The lockdown was been lifted and free movement within the country would now be possible, starting tomorrow May 2.  Our curfew hours would be revised to be at par with the rest of the country, being from ten at night to four in the morning.  

The revision meant that eateries that were previously on a take-away basis only would now allow sit-ins.  Bars that had been shut completely, would now open albeit to seven in the evening; talking of which, who even drinks while it is still daylight!  Religious gathering that had been prohibited in the zone would be allowed to restart at one-third sitting capacity.  Schools were directed on open on the scheduled date.  This was happening… and it was happening now!

I still do not know what to make of this new development.  I am now more fearful of corona than ever before, especially having seen how it ‘came from nowhere’ and wiped out India in just one week!  I am now more conscious of how bad corona can be, after watching those doctored videos that showed people falling down and dying in the middle of the streets in India, due to lack to hospital beds or lack of oxygen at both hospitals or homes.  I have given corona new respect after watching it devastate India as it did in just one week.  That is why I am not sure whether we should be easing restrictions or making them tighter!  I appreciate that we have to put food on the table, but who will be eating?

I am however comforted that the head of state assured of a swift return to restrictions if ‘anything unexpected’ came up.  I am also aware that vaccines for second doses and first shot for the additional numbers in the next group of Kenyans is on the way.  These shots should be landing anytime in June.  It is only time that will tell whether I am overly fearful or overly fearing.  For now, let me hit those 10,000 walking steps per day in the name of the marathoners May challenge – a challenge that I would have preferred to skip and hibernate, but what is on is on.  

Happy Labour day!

WWB, the Coach, Nairobi, Kenya, May 1, 2021