Step up Covid protocols in counties

Crank beds as part of ICU medical equipment worth Sh1.3million donated by Mozzart Bet. [Jonah Onyango, Standard]

Rural counties initially seemed safer from coronavirus, but they are now bearing the brunt of a second wave. Since the outbreak of the disease in Kenya in March, Covid-19 has mainly been concentrated in the capital Nairobi and Mombasa. Hence more work on prevention has been concentrated in these cities. Now there is need to focus attention on rural areas.

Kenya deserves applause for quick and decisive reaction to the pandemic, failure to which things would have been different. Like many African countries, Kenya shut down its borders and implemented major public health measures to stop the spread of the virus. Combined with the country’s predominantly young, energetic, fit and rural population, these measures helped put at bay the crisis experts in the western countries predicted for the region. For our rural population, restriction of movement in and out of the two cities where Covid-19 first struck helped cushion them, but on the other hand made residents ignore health measures including social distancing and wearing of face masks.