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Muchaneta Chimuka-Senior Reporter

Some Zimbabweans are shunning wearing face masks which are highly recommended as one of the non- pharmaceutical Covid-19 prevention measures.

Others are also not practising social distancing in public spaces, the complacency is worrying.

A survey by The Herald over the past two weeks proved that many people in both urban and rural areas are no longer wearing face masks.

Primrose Garimoto of Chitungwiza feels the easing of Covid-19 restrictions and re-opening of schools has resulted in some people ignoring Covid -19 preventative measures like wearing face masks, hand washing with soap and running water, and social distancing.

“Many people are just assuming that Covid-19 is gone due to low figures in deaths and new confirmed cases. There is need for imperative and consistent education in all communities even the learned ones in urban areas. Some people are only wearing facemasks when at work or whilst in the central business district to

evade arrest by the police,” said Garimoto.

She said in Chitungwiza it is now life as usual as people continue to move in public places without masks.

Some, she alleged, are even going to church and flea markets in their numbers, and this may fuel the spread of Covid-19.

Mr Godfrey Mlambo of Glenview 3 in Harare said it is of paramount importance that communities follow the World Health Organisation (WHO) set guidelines to prevent the spread of Covid-19.

“Covid-19 is still there and people should shun the culture of relying on unverified misleading information that

they get from some social media sites,” he said.

Tapiwa Maponda of Chitungwiza said he is yet to receive his covid-19 jab, and plans to do so this week.

“I am a vendor and was supposed to be vaccinated long back, but all was in vain as I kept listening to some information that I got from WhatsApp groups. In my community people are no longer masking up and we go to crowded places like the Jambanja market and Chikwanha,” he said.

He added: “Last week I attended a funeral at my rural home in Chipinge and over 500 people attended. That is when I started to think about vaccination as a step forward to save

my life and those of people around me.”

He said he also noted that vaccines work.

“I have not heard of any side effects or deaths experienced in this country emanating from the Sinopharm and Sinovac vaccines,” he said.