Keep the mask on: Ministry of Health warns Kenya not out of COVID-19 danger

As various countries across the globe ease COVID-19 restrictions, especially when it comes to the use of masks, the Ministry of Health is warning that Kenya is not yet out of the woods.

According to global health experts, COVID-19 will become commonplace, but it does not mean this disease is no longer deadly.

For more than a week now, Kenya has recorded less than 100 new COVID-19 infections daily; At the moment, the country's positivity rate stands at 0.4%.

Given the scenario of few severe cases of COVID-19 reported, a number of Kenyans have opted to do away with what had become the norm, masking.

Health Chief Administrative Secretary Dr. Rashid Aman says: “We will continue to maintain the non-pharmaceutical requirements because that is what really is our first line of defence in terms of curtailing the transmission of the virus. We’re not done with the virus yet, the fact that we have overcome the Omicron wave does not mean we’re done with the virus.”

According to Dr. Githinji Gitahi, the Chief Executive Officer at Amref Health Africa, it is time to reduce mask mandates and accelerate last mile vaccine access in Africa.

In a statement on Twitter, he says: “All signs indicate we may be moving from pandemic to endemic phase of COVID-19, however this doesn’t mean that the mask as a tool for fighting the pandemic is discarded but must be retained and used based on data such as levels of community transmission, location, vaccination rates, hospital capacity, and a policy framework to guide decisions.”

Last week, governors in 10 states in the U.S leapfrogged federal recommendations and dropped mask mandates.

Cities, counties and school districts are free to maintain their restrictions and requirements in those states.

Additionally, France is to drop mandatory mask wearing in enclosed public spaces like pubs, restaurants and museums where the vaccine pass is required from February 28.

“We don’t know what will come up next…we, as a country, are not yet vaccinated to the levels we want, which is about 70% of the population…so we still have a long way to go, and we need to be cautious people…we don’t want to throw everything to the wind and open up everything and then we’re struck with another serious wave,” added Dr. Aman.

This comes as the Ministry of Health commissioned two locally manufactured test kits, one for malaria and the other for COVID-19.

The two rapid diagnostic kits had been launched by President Uhuru Kenyatta in July last year, and were awaiting approval from the Pharmacy and Poisons Board.

“We aspire to save this country in excess of Ksh.58 million annually on malaria testing and Ksh.405 million annually on COVID testing. Through the kits we will increase COVID-19 and malaria test and diagnosis and will be a major milestone in attaining UHC,” said Dr. Wanjala, KEMRI

The COVID-19 test kit, the ministry says, will help reduce testing costs for Kenyans given that it still remains a global health issue.