COVID-19 pandemic has seen global heavy crisis and the greatest challenge which has been faced worldwide.
No one could have predicted this animal stretching its wings this far. Sorrow, fear and confusion are the global chorus. Everyone whispered about it while it was still heard from other countries, it stretched till it placed its feet on our motherland on March 2020.
Everyone was caught in a moment of dilemma. The efforts to inform the crowds about this deadly virus were made.
In schools science teachers were asked to google and teach pupils and emphasise on the precautions. For the masses various sources were issued out in a bid to alert Zimbabweans about this disease.
In urban areas this information spread faster since newspapers, posters were issued out, in rural areas the health sector deployed members to go and spread this gospel hence this information spread so fast.
While people were busy trying to spread this gospel this animal already had started taking away lives. As it came unannounced the government was still planning on what to do since the schools were still open, people on the other hand were running around so they can go to where they belong while others were buying groceries to sustain them for the three weeks of lockdown as has been whispered.
It was like a race since this disease came with power and killed a number of people. The government responded by announcing the three weeks shutdown of everything save for hospitals, jails, banks and some of the supermarkets. All this was done within two weeks. There was shut down of everything on the 30th of March 2020.
News was read, the number of lost lives due to this pitiless virus was so unpleasant. This saw revision of the working hours. The operating supermarkets opened 09:00 to 15:00. During these hours a minimum of 20 people would enter after having sanitised and recorded each individual’s temperature.
Everyone has to mask up properly as well as to maintain physical distance. All this was because this virus is said to be infected through breathing in the air from the infected person or touching where the infected person had contaminated.
Transport was minimised and only ZUPCO buses to transport people and only thirty two (32) passengers per bus. Every passenger to mask up and be sanitised before boarding a bus. These were the efforts by the government to conquer this wave.
Days went by, the announced three weeks of lockdown passed, corona virus was becoming worse hence the government announced two more weeks on lockdown. People were banned to move from point A to point B.
That is everyone to stay wherever he/she is for another two weeks. The borders to remain closed, locally no one to be seen moving around during late hours. This did not stop COVID-19 from mercilessly killing people.
This virus has no cure, what pains most is that it kills within short period of time. This is really an unbearable epoch, life which lies its hope on a face mask and sanitizers. News is read, so pathetic to note the increase of the infected individuals.
Due to a number of weeks people locked down in their homes, the groceries bought got finished. People’s lives are now sour especially those who are self-employed they are stuck. No source of income. A human being is dangerous when hungry, people began sneaking to the markets for food. It is obvious that there would be queues there since everybody has been long locked down hence no social distance would be maintained. The pity comes to the urban residers since they had to pay rentals.
After all this long locked home but expected to raise money for rentals. This then forced people to find something to do for them to earn a living. Of course the streets in town are clear but streets in the locations are now full of vendors. This means everyday these vendors would have to get to town every morning for their stuff hence the increase of the number which needs to be taken to town against the number of the ZUPCO transport. This saw the coming in of the public transport of which these do not mind about the COVID-19 precautions.
In response to the above police and soldiers were deployed as a way of minimising these movements. Road blocks were seen and one is only allowed to go where ever he/she wants after producing a pass which states where one has been allowed to go. A pass is a document one gets from his/her nearest police station which grants the right to move from point A to point B. Without this document police officers sends that person back home. Due to this annoyance most people now choose to get to town on foot.
Even those who are in town with passes would even walk from town because they would be scared of the harassment by the soldiers if they keep queuing for transport after the stipulated hour. Robbers are now in numbers and with this transport problem they take advantage. The situation is surely unendurable if one takes a surgical glance to the distance, bushy areas and the reason forcing people to move.
Of course it is appreciated that Bulawayo streets are now walkable and the pavements are clear, the city in general is clear due to the monitoring by the police and the soldiers at the same time the masses are in hail. This pandemic had seen people losing their minds. The night had turned to peoples’ day. They now use night as their day trying to make the ends meet.
Everything is upside down due to this pandemic, schools have since been closed on the 24th of March some of the pupils were preparing for the June examinations. Although they wrote but the truth still has to be said that the results they will get would be below the standard. It is more touching to those who are preparing for the November examinations.
These pupils learnt for three months and this is unquestionable that the syllabus is not half way covered so how will they manage. This has affected every learner of course but it is of paramount importance to give a girl child a closer look. One would conclude and say that the lives of some girls is finished. Some are already pregnant while others have already been married that is early marriage which has been fuelled by more time doing nothing. It’s a pity to most of these pupils if seen roaming around the streets one could tell through their behaviour that they are completely astray they had lost focus with no one knowing if they will be back to their normal being.
Discombobulating due to this virus had seen various notions coming in. Biblically some are linking this hard time to the very last days which were written in the bible. Corona virus is being referred to as the disease beyond cure which the bible stated. Geographic sentiments are of the view that due to the ever busy industries the Ozone layer is now dirty hence needs to be cleaned and links to the biblical ideology that God is busy cleansing it while there is no interruptions. All these ideas come out of the perplex minds due to the COVID-19 which had caused social, economic and political crisis. Families are crying and praying for mercy.
With the abate of the number of the deaths due to corona, the increase of those recovering from it, people now hope that this virus will vanish since summer does not have favourable temperatures for it. No one can dismiss any opinion as this is a new disease ever. Corona virus a deadly disease which had brought sorrow to a number of families globally.