28 Mar 2021

The public has expressed disconsolate emotions about the recent escalation of COVID-19 cases and related deaths that have swept through the nation. With doubt surging as to whether or not things would return to normal, BOPA took to the streets to appreciate how some Batswana intended to assist government to curb the spread and effects of the devastating pandemic.  In random interviews, the consensus regarding the high increase of COVID-19 infections and related deaths was that as a nation, behavioural change, especially at an individual level, was necessary. 

Mr Raymond Mbaha said intensified prayer sessions were needed to stop the virus. 

“Capacity of church gatherings have to be increased as well as following good hygiene practices,” he said. 

Mr Mbaha also said ‘over sharing’ of information regarding the pandemic was becoming cumbersome and depressing. 

“Maybe that is why some members of the public have faltered in adhering to the health protocols, the pandemic has altered our lives in a negative way and over time it gets tiring,” he noted. 

One interviewee who had preferred anonymity said the rapid rate at which the virus was spreading was bound to infect the whole nation, hence he did not see the need of following the COVID-19 health protocols religiously. 

“Each of us will eventually be infected and the news of the vaccination arriving in the country has given us hope that finally we will be rid of this dreadful virus,” he said.  He added that once the vaccine was rolled out, the number of COVID-19 related deaths would decrease and normal activities would be resumed. 

One Ms Sarah Ramarumo said the youth was primarily responsible for spreading the virus, especially in rural areas, which led to the high mortality rate of vulnerable groups. 

“Our parents’ immune system is not as strong as the younger generation and the more we spread the virus, the more our elderly will be gravely affected,” she said. 

Again, Ms Ramarumo said government had gone to great lengths to educate the nation on the virus, including coming up with interventions on combating it, yet Batswana still treated COVID-19 as a small issue. 

“Despite being constantly reminded of the COVID-19 health protocols, we falter to adhere and most people are of the view that the recovery rate from the virus is always 100 per cent guaranteed, which is totally misleading and inaccurate,” she said. 

Instead, she said government should implement sterner measures, adding the current curfew was a step in the right direction. 

Ms Lenah Sethibe shared the sentiments of stricter measures given the rate at which the pandemic was sweeping the nation. 

“Regarding the current COVID-19 situation, it is either we are infected or affected,” she said. 

She indicated that she had personally witnessed the death of a close family member due to a COVID-19 related complication and she wished that the public would realise its severity. 

Ms Gaone Motlogelwa said a national lockdown would be the only solution that could rectify the situation.  

She acknowledged that a lockdown would have a negative implication on the economy, but saving lives was better than the increase in COVID-19 related deaths. “According to my observation, the vaccine would help to curb the high number of COVID-19 deaths,” she noted. Ends