Covid Response Foundation presents over K10m worth of medical supplies to Queens Hospital
* They demonstrated what it means to not give in to despair in times of crisis
* Quotes the Bible:“Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning
* Condemns recent beating of ambulance drivers and health personnel during their routine delivery of COVID-19 remains
* The goal is to get the positivity rate down to 5% or lower in order to safely ease restrictions
By Duncan Mlanjira
When President Lazarus Chakwera declared a State of National Disaster following the second wave of COVID-19 at the start of the new year, he asked stakeholders to come in and assist with resources in the fight against the pandemic.
President Chakwera
In his address on Sunday evening, Chakwera made special mention of the response the stakeholders including corporate companies, private citizens and foreign partners, who have contributed in various ways.
He described the swift response as a demonstration of “what it means to not give in to despair in times of crisis”.
“In fact, I commend them for the example they have set to other citizens of how to be part of the solution instead of thinking that Government has all the solutions, as well as the example they have set to those in the Civil Service of how to render a public service in a manner that is accountable and collaborative.”
He announced that the past week alone, 54 people died of COVID-19 but people can afford some comfort of the recovery of 2,861 people in the past week.
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This, he said, was due to the hard working spirit of healthcare workers and that it was disheartening that these frontline soldiers are being stigmatized.
“I must strongly condemn the recent beating of ambulance drivers and
health personnel during their routine delivery of the remains of those who died of COVID-19. It is to the credit of our health workers that we are able to bury those who die of COVID-19 in a way that does not expose the living to infection — no attack on our health personnel will be tolerated.
He went on to say that State of National Disaster continues and has now lasted 40 days and it may be difficult to assess if the war against the pandemic is being won.
Coronavirus alert
“But we are and if we stay the course of prevention, treatment, and immunization, a day is coming when we shall be able to gather again, laugh again, play again, hug again, celebrate again, travel again, shake hands again, and do rallies again.”
The President encouraged the public to continue adhering to preventive measures, because it is clear that these measures work.
“Over the past seven days, 9,447 COVID-19 tests were conducted nationwide, of which 1,430 were positive, representing an average positivity rate of 15%, two percent lower than the week before.
“Our goal is to get the positivity rate down to 5% or lower, because that is when we can safely ease restrictions and allow the economy to breathe.
Coronavirus alert: Private citizen response
“To get there, we still need to cut the positivity rate down by 10% or more, and that means we each must keep complying with the restrictions that are currently in place.
Following the downward trend in new infections, schools have been reopened across the country — both private and public and includes those who have been selected to various secondary schools to start Form One.
“Because schools have been closed for the past five weeks, the Ministry of Education has revised the academic calendar for public schools to ensure that students receive adequate teaching to meet curriculum requirements.
“The details of the new calendar have already been sent to all educational institutions, as well as a reminder for the COVID-19 Health Committee of each school to ensure that all preventive guidelines we have trained them to enforce are followed to the letter.”
“As it is written in the Holy Scriptures, ‘Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning!’”
