This archive report was first published on 13 July 2021.
Residents in Kenya's Lake Region Ignore Covid-19 Protocols ¶
Despite a partial lockdown being imposed in the Lake region of Kenya a month ago, residents continue to disregard Covid-19 safety protocols.
Residents in the region are still crowding funerals and markets, with no social distancing and sanitation measures in place. Some residents are also not wearing their face masks properly in public places.
Public transport vehicles, including tuk tuks and boda bodas, are also major spreading points of the virus. In Kisumu County, public service vehicles continue to overload with no social distancing.
However, the number of Covid-19 infections in the region has significantly dropped. Kisumu's Covid-19 positivity rate has declined from 28.9 percent to 9 percent.
"Public service vehicles are still a problem with the habit of carrying excess passengers. They are playing hide-and-seek with the police," said Fred Oluoch, the county Director of Public Health.
Police in Kakamega have intensified a crackdown on residents failing to observe Ministry of Health Covid-19 regulations. Boda boda operators and traders in open markets are still going about their activities without wearing face masks.
"We are enforcing the Covid-19 regulations by arresting offenders and charging them. People are still going about their activities without wearing masks," said David Kabena, the Kakamega South police Commander.
Supermarkets in Kakamega have deployed security guards to ensure customers sanitise their hands and their body temperatures are checked before they are allowed into shops.
However, residents in the region are still not adhering to health guidelines. In Vihiga County, the only directive being observed religiously by residents is the closure of places of worship in a bid to curb the spread of Covid-19.
"We have lost many people because of Covid-19, which is now in our communities and I call upon people to observe the health guidelines," said Prof Inonda Mwanje, the acting Health executive in Vihiga County.
Prof Mwanje also urged people to go for vaccination and assured them that vaccines are available at health facilities.
Residents in Kisii County are still holding funerals with large gatherings, despite the risk of Covid-19 transmission. The 72-hour requirement for holding funerals has not been adopted, and families are still mourning their loved ones the way they used to do before Covid-19 struck.
Many handwashing points erected in Kisii town are not functional. One of the tanks at the Kisii Municipal Market was removed, meaning there is no regular handwashing.
Police in Homa Bay County have urged boda boda operators to follow Ministry of Health protocols. The operators have begun creating awareness to enhance better relations between them and police.
