Lifting Africa’s COVID-19 lockdown poses problems
Djibouti started easing lockdown measures on Monday, despite the country having the highest number of COVID-19 cases in East Africa: Some 1,189 people out of a population of 1 million tested positive for the coronavirus.
“The stakes are high but there is no other option: people need to make their living and go to work,” Djiboutian Foreign Minister Mahmoud Ali Youssouf said, while admitting that the move could lead to a new surge of cases.
Djiboutians had not taken kindly to the restrictions imposed by the government of President Ismail Omar Guelleh, who is likely to run for reelection next year.
Besides political considerations, many African governments are worried about the impact of lockdown measures on the economy. Economic growth had been sluggish across Africa, even before the COVID-19 crisis, which statistically has not hit Africa as hard as other continents.
Nevertheless, the World Health Organization (WHO) warned on Monday that the coronavirus could kill between 83,000 and 190,000 people in Africa — and infect between 29 million and 44 million — during the first year, if it is not contained. Despite this, Rwanda, Namibia and Zimbabwe on Monday also decided to loosen lockdown measures.
Read more: Coronavirus: How Africa is bracing for pandemic’s impact
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Coronavirus: Europe slowly begins to wake up
Welcome back!
Shops across Europe were forced to close their doors to prevent the spread of COVID-19, including this fashion store on Makarios Avenue in downtown Nicosia, Cyprus. A stay-at-home order had been in place on the island since late March. On May 4 President Nicos Anastasiades allowed construction sites and small retail stores to open again. People should be able to move freely again on May 21.
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Coronavirus: Europe slowly begins to wake up
Beach days are back
People in Portugal are now able to enjoy strolling along the beach again. Under the country’s state of emergency, which was introduced on March 18, beaches were shut, along with non-essential businesses and restaurants. People were still able to go outdoors and exercise, but now have more freedom to go to shops and hairdressers. However, face masks are still required in closed spaces.
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Coronavirus: Europe slowly begins to wake up
Time for a trim
Hairdressers were also allowed to reopen in Greece on May 4, including this salon in Athens. Other businesses to open up after a six-week lockdown include florists, bookstores and other small stores. Restaurants and bars will have to wait until the end of the month. Greeks can also leave their homes without needing a form stating their reason, but face masks are mandatory in public transport.
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Coronavirus: Europe slowly begins to wake up
Face mask to ride
Rules requiring face masks on public transport are now commonplace throughout Europe. In Hungary’s capital Budapest, transport workers were offering travelers masks at Nyugati Square. Budapest remains under stricter restrictions than the rest of the country. Other cities can begin to open up some stores, museums and public spaces.
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Coronavirus: Europe slowly begins to wake up
Out and about
Public spaces in Spain had been deserted. For 48 days residents were not allowed to leave their homes except for food, medical reasons, or to walk the dog. Restrictions and social distancing rules are still strict, but people are finally able to go out for exercise. People in the capital Madrid pounced on the opportunity.
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Coronavirus: Europe slowly begins to wake up
Back to work
Italy was also under an extremely strict lockdown, with people only allowed to go out for very limited reasons. But on May 4 it slowly began to allow some people to return to work, under social distancing conditions. Workers at a shoe factory in Castelnuovo Vomano, in Teramo province, have to work wearing face masks and separated by plastic screens. Construction workers can also return to sites.
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Coronavirus: Europe slowly begins to wake up
Paying respects
The lifting of restrictions in Italy also allows up to 15 people to attend a funeral, albeit while wearing masks. During its lockdown, Italy banned funerals to stop the spread of COVID-19, which denied many people the chance to say goodbye to loved ones.
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Coronavirus: Europe slowly begins to wake up
School’s in
Austria is making sure 100,000 final-year students are able to return to school before their leavers’ exams. Teachers like Richard Fischer in Vienna handed out medical face masks to students before the start of lessons. The country is also allowing people to visit relatives in care homes again. Small shops and other businesses were already allowed to reopen on April 14.
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Coronavirus: Europe slowly begins to wake up
Up and running
In Germany professional footballers have been in training, despite competitions currently being suspended. Like other clubs, Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich have been putting their players through their paces, albeit only in small groups. The Bundesliga is targeting May 15 to restart, the first major European league to do so. Fans won’t be allowed into stadiums, however.
South Africans divided
The dilemma also divides South Africans. One of the first countries on the continent to introduce a strict lockdown in March, South Africa — the country most affected by the pandemic in sub-Saharan Africa — is debating a further easing of lockdown measures, after some restructions were relaxed on Friday.
South Africa has more than 10,000 confirmed cases of new coronavirus, including 194 deaths, the country’s Department of Health announced on Sunday.
Read more: COVID-19 restricts Africa’s Ramadan routine
A dearth of face masks around the world has many resorting to their own devices
Job losses
The negative social and economic impact of the lockdown has divided opinions on how to proceed. Some opposition parties who stood by South African President Cyril Ramaphosa when containment measures were implemented, are now calling for an immediate end to the lockdown.
“The real tragedy playing out here is no longer the coronavirus but the lockdown itself, because this lockdown is going to cost many more lives than it can save,” said John Steenhuisen, leader of the Democratic Alliance.
Some experts say that up to 7 million jobs will be lost if the current restrictions are maintained. But there are also those, such as Omphile Maotwe from the opposition Economic Freedom Fighters, who say that it is too soon to ease the measures.
“We call upon the government to strengthen and tighten the rules and regulations of the lockdown,” Maotwe said.
Read more: World Bank: ‘No African country can face this crisis alone’
Cameroonian musician Manu Dibango was among the African celebrities killed by the virus
Too soon for Nigeria?
Ghana’s experience with easing a three-week lockdown in the cities of Accra and Kumasi on April 19 does not bode well for the current trend in many African countries.
Over the weekend, President Nana Akufo-Addo announced that one worker in a fish-processing factory in Tema city infected 533 colleagues. He extended a ban on public gatherings until the end of May. Schools and universities will remain closed until then.
Infections now stand at 4,700, the highest rate in West Africa. Responding to critics who fear that Ghana acted too soon, President Akufo-Addo maintained that the increase was due to a backlog of 18,000 tests and that Ghana “would adapt as the situation changes.”
Nigeria followed suit on Monday by easing restrictions in the capital, Abuja, and in the country’s economic capital, Lagos. The lockdown, in place since March 30, will be eased gradually over the next six weeks.
Businesses have been allowed to reopen providing measures are in place to ensure social distancing and decontamination — a move slammed by Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) president, Francis Faduyile, who described the move as “very premature.” He suggested it could drive up the rate of infections — a “frightening scenario.”
Too late for Chad?
Chad is going in the opposite direction. On Friday, the country’s 22 main cities, including the capital, N’djamena, were isolated from the rest of the country for 15 days. Chad’s health sector has been struggling to keep up with the pandemic. Several health workers were infected due to lack of protective equipment.
Chad’s health ministry was singled out for its management of the crisis. Younouss Mahadjir, president of the Health Workers’ Union, said health authorities seem to be overwhelmed by the situation.
“COVID-19 took everyone by surprise, especially in a country like ours where disorder reigns even at the top of the state. People are confused,” he told DW.
“We pleaded with the minister of health, but nobody answered us. Now many workers have tested positive and some have died. It’s getting serious.”
Many Chadians believe that health authorities are no longer in control of the situation. Student Amane Nare wants the government to ask China for help. “I think that quarantining the city of N’Djamena is not going to solve anything,” she said. “The disease is everywhere in the country.”
Chadian health experts also say that the decision was taken too late.
Some Tanzanians might say “better late than never.” This is because President John Magafuli has been negligent of the crisis to a point where even the WHO saw fit to openly chastise his government.
With 509 confirmed cases and 21 deaths — including three lawmakers and the country’s justice minister — Tanzania was not among the worst-hit countries. But Dar es Salaam has continuously failed to publish the latest daily figures. And health experts warn that the lack of adequate measures may still turn it into the pandemic’s new epicenter.
Thuso Kumale and Blaise Dariustone contributed to this report.
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Coronavirus: How refugee camps and slums are dealing with hygiene
Yemen
Yemen is home to roughly 3.6 million internally displaced people. With much of their health and sanitation system destroyed by war, these IDPs are highly vulnerable to coronavirus while living in cramped conditions. Volunteers trained by UNICEF are raising awareness on how to keep the disease from spreading.
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Coronavirus: How refugee camps and slums are dealing with hygiene
Syria
Syria faces a similar problem as it enters its tenth year of the war. Millions of Syrians live in refugee camps such as Akrabat camp, near the border with Turkey. To explain to families about the risks of coronavirus, UN workers visit the camps and use handmade puppets to explain the dangers of COVID-19.
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Coronavirus: How refugee camps and slums are dealing with hygiene
The Philippines
The long-term effects of natural disasters are also a factor. In the Philippines, public toilets, like those seen here at an evacuation center in Tacloban City, have become a breeding ground for the virus to spread. Sanitation has become even more crucial. The region has been suffering from the after-effects of Typhoon Haiyan for years.
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Coronavirus: How refugee camps and slums are dealing with hygiene
Zambia
Some people can’t get access to clean drinking water for weeks in many water-scarce parts of the world. The Gwembe Valley has been deeply affected by the drought for the past two years. UNICEF is currently supporting rehabilitation and drilling of 60 boreholes to enforce hand washing at distribution points during the coronavirus pandemic.
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Coronavirus: How refugee camps and slums are dealing with hygiene
Kenya
Various water stations have been installed across Kenya’s public places to provide access to clean water. In Nairobi, a young boy follows instructions as he is shown how to wash hands properly at a water station in Kibera to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
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Coronavirus: How refugee camps and slums are dealing with hygiene
Jordan
Kafa, a 13 year old girl, returns to her family’s caravan carrying a large plastic container filled with water that she has just collected from a community water point. Refugee women in Jordan’s largest refugee camp are now making locally produced soap using natural materials and giving them away to families in need.
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Coronavirus: How refugee camps and slums are dealing with hygiene
India
Vulnerable countries are thinking beyond soap and water to other hygienic measures. In India, people are encouraged to stitch masks from home. This also brings in money especially for women living in rural areas. This woman is making face masks at the Bihar center of Goonj, an NGO situated across several states of India undertaking disaster relief, humanitarian aid, and community development.
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Coronavirus: How refugee camps and slums are dealing with hygiene
Bangladesh
Volunteers from many physically disabled groups are also becoming actively involved in helping to distribute disinfectants across the city of Dhaka. Roman Hossain distributes disinfectants and informs other members of his community about the importance of washing your hands regularly.
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Coronavirus: How refugee camps and slums are dealing with hygiene
Guatemala
There is an urgent need to reduce the impacts of COVID-19 crisis in Huehuetenango, Guatemala in addition to the already existing food crisis caused by the 2019 drought. Indigenous communities wait every day to collect their food and basic hygiene kits where they also get information and recommendations to prevent COVID-19 in local languages.
Article source: https://www.dw.com/en/lifting-africa-s-covid-19-lockdown-poses-problems/a-53401241?maca=en-rss-en-all-1573-rdf