Covid-19 pandemic an equaliser, shows nobody is safe from virus

In the pre-coronavirus era, health social constructs were based on various economic, social, racial, educational paradigms.

At independence, disease was identified as one of the nation’s challenges. The government increased education opportunities, believing that, by dealing with ignorance, poverty and disease would be reduced.

The social construct then, and even now, is that disease is associated with little education and poverty; hence the attitude that disease transmission is from the illiterate to the educated, the poor to the rich.

However, many diseases and their pests were transported by traders and visitors from the ‘Old World’ to Africa and the Americas.

But the social construct was that Africa and other low-income parts of the world were reservoirs of disease. This construct is still operational: Africans are often required to undergo various tests to ensure they do not transport ailments to the West.

Despite discrimination on the basis of health being a violation of a person’s rights, many an immigration attempt has been thwarted by a positive HIV test.

This social construct has further morphed to include a racial slant that disease transmission is not only from Africa to the West but from black to white.

TRANSMISSION WEB

But recent pandemics have challenged this. HIV started in the United States. After it was first detected in Kenya in 1984, HIV was declared a national disaster in 1990.

At its peak, deaths hit 1,000 a day, stretching the healthcare system to the limit and threatening to bring the economy to its knees.

And now, Covid-19. The coronavirus started in China. All the primary cases in Kenya are people who travelled from more economically endowed countries.

These travellers — who are of a higher social economic class, more educated and financially endowed — transmit it to ordinary citizens.

Take the hypothetical case of a person who was infected at a meeting abroad and interacted with people in domestic, social and work settings and places of worship in various places.

At the airport, Mr Traveller’s temperature was normal and he was allowed in. As he took a taxi home, he transmitted the virus to the driver, who then passed it to his other clients, family, friends and parent in County A.

On arrival home, Mr Traveller transmitted the virus to his wife, who passed it to her domestic worker, hairdresser and mama mboga, who live in the slum next to her leafy suburb, her chama mates and her sister, who was visiting from County B.

NO SYMPTOMS

The following morning, Mr Traveller went to work and passed the virus to his workmates, who could then take it to their families, relatives, friends and neighbours at social gatherings in different counties.

On his way home, he passed through the supermarket and transmitted it through the Sh1,000 note he gave the cashier, who later passed on the virus to customers as she gave out change.

Our traveller then went to church two days later and passed the virus to his seatmate, the pastor, the offertory collector and a friend that he greeted.

On his way home, he passed it to the petrol station attendant, his barber and the mechanic as he paid for their services. These could then pass on the virus to their families, relatives, neighbours and friends.

Two days later, Mr World Traveller took the bus to the village for a relative’s funeral, passing the virus to his parent and pastor in County C and mourners from Counties D, E, F and G.

So in less than a week, our educated world traveller living in a leafy suburb of Nairobi has infected many people. And all this before he experienced symptoms, tested positive and was admitted for isolation.

FORESTALL

Bill Gates, the third-richest man, said that “the corona/Covid-19 virus is reminding us that we are all equal, regardless of our culture, religion, occupation, financial situation or how famous we are. This disease treats us all equally, perhaps we should to.”

Three weeks ago, quarantine of all travellers arriving in the country would have contained the virus.

Two weeks ago, a lockdown of Nairobi would have contained the virus. A week ago, containment would have been in a few counties.

But now, extreme measures will have to be extended to everyone in the entire country indiscriminately.

Prof Mutugi is the vice-chancellor, Amref International University; [email protected].