Africa-Press – Tanzania. PRESIDENT SamiaSuluhu Hassan yesterday insisted on the need for the public to take all necessary precautions to prevent further spread of the third wave of Covid-19 in the country.
President Samia warned over laxity among Tanzanians in adhering to Covid-19 preventive measures.
She insisted that the country is experiencing the third wave of the global Covid-19 pandemic, calling on citizens to heed experts’ advice on preventive measures, including facemasking.
The Head of State issued the wakeup call comes after discovered that a large section of people, who gathered to listen to her when she made a stop at Kibaigwa area in Kongwa District were not wearing facemasks with the country and the rest of the world fighting the third wave.
Ms Samia was on her way to Morogoro Region for a two-day working visit.
President Samia told the gathering that it was no secret that Tanzania has been hit with the third wave of Covid-19 and the country has recorded patients in the various regions.
“We already have patients in Dar es Salaam, Arusha and Mwanza among other regions. Dodoma has also recorded patients although the rate is small but there are patients,” said President Samia.
“The third wave is picking up speed in other countries, spreading faster and hitting harder whereas dozens of people have died. We don’t want the dire situation to appear in our country,” said President Samia.
She urged every individual to observe the advice from medical experts, to prevent the virus from wreaking havoc in the country like it has in some of the countries.
President Samia, however, noted that once the killer disease starts claiming lives in the country there will be unstoppable dire consequences.
She also called upon the traders at Kibaigwa area to adhere to all laws and guidelines set by the councils, noting that the government is a good friend of petty traders in the country and it is doing everything to ensure their businesses are operating smoothly.
At the end of last month, while the Director of Preventive Services at the Ministry of Health, Dr Leonard Subi broke the news on eruption of the third wave of Covid-19 infections in the country, warned of a new persistent variant, which is affecting even the lower aged groups.
Recently, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health, Community Development, Gender, Elderly and Children, Prof Abel Makubiemphasised on taking precautionary measures as schools re-opened last Monday.
Prof Makubi told the head teachers to ensure that their schools observe health guidelines regarding precautionary measures against the pandemic.
“I take this opportunity to call upon all schools, universities as well as public or private offices to ensure that they observe all precautions to avoid infections of Covid-19,” he insisted.
Prof Makubi said in recent days people were not careful enough as it was previously during the first wave of the pandemic.
“Our focus is not only to tell how many people died or how many were admitted to different hospitals, but also to create awareness about the pandemic that could help people stay safe,” he elaborated.
As such, the ministry urged government leaders at all levels, the private sector and religious leaders to educate people to take necessary precautions, noting that it is every one’s responsibility to protect themselves from contracting the disease.
The measures among other things have placed major emphasis on the management of those institutions to ensure students and staff wear masks at all times in class and during group discussions.
Also, students are required to sit in such a manner that there is a distance of a meter from one to the next. Social distancing should apply at all times and group discussion should not contain more than four people.
Frequently wash their hands with clean water and soap in all areas, and where there is no water people should use hand sanitizers.
Besides, Prof Makubi disclosed that the first consignment of the Covid-19 vaccine will land in the country in a six months period. The news comes a few days after President Magufuli announced that the country will embark on voluntary vaccination mechanisms.
President Samia had hinted on the vaccines application procedure for developing countries under the Covax facility, pointing out that the deadline for countries who intended to procure vaccines in the coming year (2022) was June 15. Countries that could not tender their application will have to wait until 2023.
However, Prof Makubi hinted on the plans for Tanzania to establish a local factory to produce different vaccines, including possible Covid-19 vaccines.
