Despite a continuing state of emergency in Cote d’Ivoire in the light of the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, as regular case numbers are decreasing, it appears that many locals have slowed down on maintaining mandatory coronavirus preventive measures such as mask-wearing and social distancing.
An Abidjan resident, Ossene Ouattara who always board bus in the capital, shares his general observation.
“At the beginning of the pandemic, as it was a new disease, people were a bit scared and were following the restrictive measures (to avoid the virus), but as soon as people saw that the number of cases was falling, they stopped following the measures. What has been happening now is that the number of cases has increased.”
According to African News, Côte d’Ivoire has reported over 31,000 COVID-19 cases and 179 deaths as of Wednesday. In order not to see an increase in cases during this second wave, which is far from over, the Ivorian authorities continue to try to improve the controls.
Dr. Milad El-Amine, an otorhinolaryngologist and director of a private local clinic, shares his opinion on the situation.
“Is it that Africa will be spared? What has to be done so Africa is not affected by this second wave of the pandemic? It is necessary to do as we did in the beginning, to insist and insist again on sanitary measures. Unfortunately, in Côte d’Ivoire, Senegal and other African countries, after prolonged mask-wearing, there is a slackening of sanitary measures.”
This month, the West African nation plans to receive the Pfizer BioNTech vaccine and is also negotiating to procure other companies’ vaccines, in the hopes of launching in March its vaccination programme.
Educator, writer and legal researcher at Alafarika for Studies and Consultancy.