This archive report was first published on 5 July 2020.
On July 5, a new study commissioned by the Canadian High Commission in Kenya revealed that public awareness on wearing face masks has been reported at 46 per cent.
The study, conducted by Trends and Insights for Africa (TIFA), also found that the dusk-to-dawn curfew was the second most rated coronavirus prevention measure in terms of public awareness.
According to the report, 37 per cent of 579 respondents interviewed were aware of the travel restrictions imposed in areas marked as coronavirus hotspots.
“By far, the measures imposed/advised by Government of which most respondents are aware are mask-wearing in public, the night curfew, the Nairobi area travel restrictions, and “keeping distant” when in public place,” the report reads.
Only 49 per cent of those surveyed said there is complete obedience to curfew within their locality, while 40 per cent reported partial compliance and 5 per cent indicated no compliance to the measures at all.
Travel restrictions in and out of the Nairobi Metropolitan Area were listed as the most effective of measures put in place to combat the spread of the virus at 19 per cent.
On the other hand, 24 per cent of respondents listed social distancing as the most effective prevention measure, while 13 per cent said mass testing was the most effective way to contain contagion.
The study, conducted between June 2 and 15 through telephonic interviews, reported a 4.1 per cent margin of error.
The publication of the report comes at a time of palpable anxiety over an impending presidential address on Monday, July 6, in which President Kenyatta is expected to pronounce himself on the status of travel restrictions in and out of Nairobi, Mombasa, and Mandera.
As of Saturday, the health ministry reported 389 coronavirus cases, with 4,289 samples screened, raising the reported infections since March to 7,577.
The cumulative number of samples tested since March stands at 185,035.
