Malawi Red Cross Society has cautioned that Malawi risks facing the worst devastation from Covid-19 if peoplerelax on preventive measures following the recent decline in new cases.
Red Cross communications and resource mobilisation manager Felix Washon said this in Mangochi on Saturday after visiting some of their interventions aimed at supporting the fight against the pandemic.
The organisation, with financial support from United Nation’s Children Fund (Unicef), placed hand-washing facilities in hotspot areas such as markets, banks, road blocks and border posts.
Washon in an interview observed that many Malawians are disregarding the Covid-19 preventive measures after noticing that new cases and deaths are going down.
He said: “We are concerned with this behaviour because the fight is not over. This is not the time to slacken on preventive measures because Covid-19 is still with us.”
Washon said with the World Health Organisation (WHO) predicting a third wave, which has already affected some countries like Kenya and Brazil, relaxing the preventive measures could be catastrophic.
He said: “As you are aware, we started registering a second wave early this year immediately after the festive season. We are concerned that Covid-19 cases could start increasing again after the Easter holiday because people travel a lot during holidays.”
In his remarks, Mangochi senior health surveyor AtusayeMbisa commended MRCS for supporting the district in the Covid-19 fight.
He echoed Washon’s sentiments, saying the decline should not fool people to relax on the preventive measures as that could make Malawi lose the gains it has so far made.
