Prevention surest bet on beating Covid-19, face mask the best tool

By A.S. MATHARU

We are faced with a very grim situation as Covid-19 continues its devastating run.

In a country like ours with a not-very-well-developed level of medical services, which are going to be required as the pandemic continues its rapid spread, prevention is the only reliable weapon that we have.

While there are many advocates of curfews and lockdowns, these are not feasible in an economy like ours.

Therefore, prevention, by following the simple guidelines being issued by experts through the government, is the only answer.

Social distancing has clearly shown that, if implemented by all, it can reduce the spread of Covid-19.

But with a culture like ours, it has its own difficulties as shaking hands seems to be inborn.

And we are beginning to adapt to proper and frequent handwashing using soap and water, using hand sanitisers and generally practising good hygiene.

But what appears to be underscored is the wearing of a face mask. Although the medical profession does not clearly come out in favour of face masks, there is no doubt, looking at this debate from a logical perspective, that face masks must have preventive benefits, especially when there is aerosol and airborne spread.

Face masks can greatly reduce the spread of the coronavirus disease by infected individuals and the chances of inhaling the virus.

Though nobody knows yet by how much face masks protect people from infection, there are several studies in support of this argument.

Countries like the Czech Republic and Slovakia, which have made the wearing a face mask compulsory, have not seen the exponential increase in Covid-19 cases despite being surrounded by those that have.

I feel that face masks should be provided to every person in Kenya and, even when they are out of the country, it should be mandatory to wear them in addition to social distancing and handwashing.

I was very glad to see on Nation Online a picture of policemen wearing face masks and gloves.

So I wonder why the government cannot direct security company employees to also wear them.

At Sarit Centre, for example, security personnel wear gloves and so I do not mind them checking my vehicle. However, they do not wear masks.

At ABC Place, the guards, in neither gloves nor masks, ask you to step out of the car and open the doors as they peer inside. They should be in masks and gloves and stay 1.5 metres away.

At Westgate, the security company uses dogs and explosive detection devices but do not wear gloves or masks. I refused their check the other day and left.

Let everybody dealing with the public wear gloves and masks.