The Sunday Mail
When dealing with an invisible enemy such as a virus during a public health crisis, science is of paramount importance.
It helps to track patterns and inform quick decision-making.
Using science as a guiding light to make bold and timeous life-saving decisions has been a practice that the local leadership has observed since the coronavirus became a global threat.
In fact, President Mnangagwa started to restrict foreign travel outside Africa on March 4, 2020 — 16 days before Zimbabwe recorded its first case.
It is such non-pharmacological interventions that kept infections and fatalities manageably low before the carnage in December 2020 and January 2021, which is suspected to have been caused by a mutant strain of the virus.
However, this was also brought under control.
Where other countries have been struggling to roll out uninterrupted and effective vaccination programmes, Zimbabwe, notwithstanding the fact that it is currently buffeted by withering sanctions from the US and the European Union bloc, has managed to do commendably well.
Close to one million people have received their first dose of vaccines, and with another batch of 500 000 doses expected on Tuesday, the number is likely to rise further.
This encouraging fact has not escaped the appreciation of World Health Organisation (WHO) director-general Dr Tedros Ghebreyesus.
But, as we slowly navigate our way out of the woods, now, more than ever, we need to be wary of a third wave that might set us back.
The latest data on infections and fatalities, especially in the past week, is ominous.
From Sunday and Friday last week, 24 people sadly lost their lives, while 520 new cases were recorded.
The bulk of the deaths — eight — were in Bulawayo, followed by Mashonaland West (five), Harare and Manicaland (at four each), Midlands (two) and Matabeleland North (one).
Most worryingly, the statistics are showing an alarming upward trajectory.
This grim trend is a call to action.
As our vaccination programme, which is a sure way out of this crisis, gathers momentum, the best we can do is to do that which we have been doing all along to great effect.
We have to scrupulously follow the health guidelines and protocols of religiously washing our hands, observing social distance and wearing face masks.
It is the only way we can stop the virus from spreading.
And those who can should get vaccinated to protect themselves and their loved ones.
A growing body of empirical evidence shows that vaccines do work.
A recent medical experiment — Project S — that was conducted in the Brazilian town of Serrana, where the entire adult population was vaccinated, indicated an 80 percent reduction in symptomatic cases and an 86 percent drop in Covid-19-related hospitalisations.
Most critically, mortality fell by 95 percent.
Project S used coronavac, which is produced by Chinese pharmaceutical giant Sinovac.
The same company has also supplied Zimbabwe with vaccines.
It must be remembered that Brazil has the second-highest number of Covid-19 deaths in the world after the US.
But similar results have been witnessed in India, Britain, Israel and the US, among many other countries.
This is all the more reason to get the jab; it indeed saves lives.
In the interim, let us use the time-tested and time-honoured protocols to prevent the continued build-up in both infections and fatalities.
Law enforcement agents, too, should double down on enforcing existing guidelines by ensuring that those who put others at risk by wantonly disregarding the law are brought to book.
Another hard lockdown is not in anyone’s best interest because it is painfully inconveniencing.
We have the power to nip the third wave of the coronavirus in the bud, if only we could listen to scientific advice, recommendations and guidelines .
Together, we can win this existential battle.
