Thursday 26 March 2020.Afternoon is hazy, the city is vacant save for a lone homeless man roaming lazily or clusters of sad homeless families.
A woman is crumpled along a cobbled pavement in a lone street.She is about my mother’s age.She could be the age of someone’s sister or grandmother.An occasional stump of feet hurry past her and stop at a ‘safe’ distance to cast an averted gaze. Moving closer to her,one dare look at her you can feel untold story of hunger,cold,and many troubles more than her pale and creased face can show,but who in the days of ‘social distancing ‘ can pick her up ?
A homeless woman lying along a deserted street in Nairobi.PHOTO|Thomas Mwiraria
As I walk on.Suddenly before my eyes a mother with her two toddlers and an infant.Their little eyes are littered with pity.Only night will ever know what their pale faces never show when twilight falls to close the day.
A vacant Nairobi.PHOTO|Thomas Mwiraria
Coronavirus pandemic poses a huge threat to the people without a place to call home due to vagaries of weather,lack of food,shelter,personal hygiene and their likelihood of having underlying health conditions,weak immune systems and inability to practice social distancing.If the homeless in the streets must be rescued,time is off essence.
“No masks, they stretch their bare hands for the coins and notes ,what can we do ?”-Caroline,Resident,Meru County.
Timeline:Covid Cases in Kenya 13 March 2020 to 6 April 2020.
On 13 March 2020,Kenya announced the first case,a 27 year-old Kenyan woman who had traveled from the US via London.The cases have since been progressing geometrically and in response to the rise of COVID-19 cases in Kenya,the government of Kenya ordered all schools to be closed,and subsequently announced a night curfew between 7 PM and 5 AM EAT March in an effort to enact social distancing measures.Additionally as cases soared,on 6 March 2020,President Uhuru announced a travel ban in and out of Nairobi metropolitan,Mombasa,Kilifi and Kwale Counties.
There however hasn’t been a protection strategy for the homeless community.Homeless people lack information on COVID-19,their vulnerability is exacerbated by harshness of the streets,they are more likely to have underlying health conditions than the wider population,and are also less able to distance themselves from others and to wash their hands frequently, which puts them at greater risk of contracting Sars-Cov-2 and succumbing to COVID-19.
Dangerous myths undermining COVID-19 containment measures in Kenya
Compounding the vulnerability the vulnerability of the homeless people to Coronavirus is wanting myths It that COVID-19 is a ‘foreign’ or a ‘rich’ people’s disease that cannot affect.
“On Friday,one of the Children living in the streets touched a guy in town, I think he wanted to steal from him. The guy asked the child why he’s touching him yet there’s Corona. The child answered, “Corona ni ya matajiri kama nyinyi, si machokoraa kama sisi”-Loosely translated..The kid said.”Corona is rich people’s disease and not for Children living in the streets like I” -Muyoka,Resident,Eldoret city.
What Coronavirus is and how to prevent oneself and others from the virus that causes COVID-19
COVID-19 virus.
Image|Pixabay.com
The MoH,COVID-19 has provided general information on personal protective measures from Coronavirus diseases that includes,”Washing your hands with soap and running water or using an alcohol based hand sanitizer, Keeping a social distance of at least 2 metres or 2-3 steps from people with flu-like symptoms.Avoiding shaking hands, hugging or kissing with people with flu-like symptoms.Staying at home and avoiding travel when you have flu-like symptoms.Early detection and treatment can contribute greatly to survival of the patient.”
Nairobi,22 March 2020.PHOTO| Thomas Mwiraria
Proposed solution for protection of the homeless community amid COVID-19 crisis.
This writer asked asked the Kenyans what must be done to help the homeless community in Kenya, the responses were dismal.
“We are in communication with some county officials but they also seem to be in the dark. We have been doing sensitization and awareness creation about COVID 19 and the greatest and most unfortunate thing is that the street persons don’t care about the seriousness of this virus. Their sentiments are death will come whichever way. I guess mainly it’s because they have nowhere to turn to anyway. Previously, we have organized shelter for them during rainy seasons but at the moment we can’t do that due to the sensitivity of the crisis at hand. These shelters wouldn’t be ideal for social distancing. Meanwhile, we are calling on well wishers to support with whatever they can in terms of food, sanitary pads, sanitizers and toiletries.”-Faith,a Social worker,Meru County.
Center for Disease Control (CDC) has provided an interim guidance for homeless service providers to plan and respond to coronavirus diseases 2019 (COVID-19).According to CDC “The Before, During, and After sections of this guidance offer suggested strategies to help homeless service providers plan, prepare, and respond to this emerging public health threat”.
The Inklusive Press 