Why Kenyans are flouting masking, social distancing rules

Seven months of walking down the Covid-19 road and the danger sign has remained red. But, lately, Kenyans have thrown caution to the wind.

When 29-year-old Caroline Mueni went to visit a friend about a week ago in Tassia, Nairobi and had her mask on, everyone was staring. “It felt really strange. I was the only one with a mask on. People even laughed at me,” she says.

At the time, nobody was observing any of the public health measures, not even social distancing. “Unlike where I live, I noticed some people in Tassia shook hands as was the norm before the pandemic,” Mueni says.

“I still put my mask on anytime I get out of the house. The only challenge I have had is social distancing in the supermarket as nobody observes that any more,” she adds.

Mueni may be willing to practise social distancing, but the environment to do that does not allow her to. And, she is not alone.

A spot check in the CBD – the hotbed of coronavirus in the country - shows that people have also lowered their guard. The only constant since the outset of the pandemic is that security guards are still using thermo guns to check people’s temperature.

People have generally slackened on the other measures such as masking, social distancing and handwashing.

People are now holding huge parties, public gatherings, overcrowding in matatus, big weddings and funerals without a care.

Buckle up

This worrying trend fuels the surge of cases as the country passes the 50,000 infection mark.

Experts now say that individual responsibility will help in winning this fight. They advise Kenyans to buckle up and stick to the public health measures because the journey to get off the Covid-19 road still goes on.

So, why are we not heeding the Covid-19 measures as we ought to?

The World Health Organization has warned that pandemic fatigue is setting in.

Cleopa Njiru, a psychologist working with Chiromo Mental Hospitals, says the fatigue has been occasioned by the reduction in the levels of energy needed to keep the virus at bay.

“When Covid-19 came in, there was so much demand for people to adapt to and change their lifestyle, and a lot of energy was being used in our bodies, and when that energy is continuous for a while, people get into distress which has other implications such as the pandemic fatigue,” says Njiru.

“Some people are in a freeze mode. They do not care what happens so they do nothing about it. Others, out of fear and anxiety, withdraw and do nothing to save the situation."

Terrorist attack

Dr Joseph Njau, a psychiatrist working with Nakuru County, says: “Some people still believe that coronavirus does not exist, so they are living in denial.”

“Other people have the notion that the disease is not so fatal and only affects those with underlying conditions."

The latest trend, Dr Njau says, has also been fuelled by leaders who have been disregarding public health measures. “When people see politicians holding rallies and gatherings and those who take part have no masks, they get emboldened to do the same. They tend to point fingers at the leaders any time they are reminded to put masks on or maintain social distancing,” he says.

Consultant psychologist and chief executive of Amazon Counselling Centre Silas Kiriinya likens the pandemic fatigue to what happens during war or a terrorist attack. “This happens often when people are exposed to serious danger and when they are in that environment of intense insecurity for a very long time; they get to a point where they don’t care any more and are not afraid of dying. They actually get to a point where they can expose themselves without caring if they will get injured," he says.

He adds: “Being locked down has led to mental health issues such as depression and anxiety and so people now feel there is pleasure in going out and being with others."

Wipe people out

The general recovery rate of people who have had the disease has also been a contributing factor to the don’t-care attitude. “In the beginning, there was a feeling that the disease is going to wipe people out, so they thought they were all going to die. But, since there are more recoveries than deaths, people have been careless,” says Kiriinya.

The experts emphasise that educating the population on why they should observe the rules should be a continuous process and some of the containment measures need to be reinforced.

“We should get back to lockdown. Even if people will suffer, we will still have our lives,” says Kiriinya. “Bars are not very essential services and should not have been reopened. A lot of the infections are happening in bars."

WHO advises governments to change tack, and consider involving people as part of the solution to help reduce the pandemic fatigue.