You have a role in helping stop coronavirus spread

Residents wash their hands before leaving Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital in Kisumu. [Washington Onyango]

Never before has a crisis demanded so much personal sacrifice and contribution as coronavirus pandemic is now calling for.

Kenyans and their mosaic of representation -- politics, business, union, professions -- are agreed that their goodwill is what it will take to beat the monster virus from spreading further.

Everyone can be part of the anticipated victory, through simple but practical ways that require so little a sacrifice.

The basic, almost now a cliche, is use of appropriate sanitisers or washing hands with soap and running water.

You can do more by ensuring whoever comes to and leaves from your public place, be it a bar, hotel or entertainment spot, washes or sanitises his or her hands.

This is because it is one thing to provide the necessary facilities and another to ensure they are used. You may not miss mischievous Kenyans who may not want to wash or sanitise their hands.

Secondly, is to avoid sharing misinformation about the coronavirus. For those in various WhatsApp groups, you have seen a lot of forwards of videos and messages on coronavrius, some of which are educative and informative but others instill fear among Kenyans.

It is due to such flurry of misinformation that Unicef is now warning the public about the spread of coronavirus after a scam message purporting to be from the humanitarian aid organisation started circulating on social media.

“The fake message had been translated into several languages and appears to indicate that avoiding ice cream and other old foods can prevent the onset of the disease,” Unicef Deputy Executive Director for Partnerships Charlotte Petri Gornitzka said in a statement.

“Misinformation during times of a health crisis can spread paranoia, fear and stigmatisation. It can also result in people being left unprotected or more vulnerable to the virus,” she said.

Mild symptoms

For instance, there is false information being propagated on social media that most of those who catch the virus experience only mild symptoms and that the overwhelming majority of deaths from Covid-19 have been among those aged 50 and above.

Unicef is already actively taking steps to inform the public when inaccurate information emerges by working with the World Health Organisation (WHO), government authorities and social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and TikTok.

This is also the time to comply with the safety and precautionary measures issued by the Ministry of Health.

Some are like washing hands regularly with soap and water or alcohol-based sanitiser, avoid greetings, hugs, body touch, visiting public places. Visit the nearest hospital incase of high temperatures or fever, self-quarantine among others.

Traders are also called upon not to increase prices of basic commodities as a result of panic shopping.