How do you motivate a population to keep going?

KenyaKenyatta ‘gibberish’, not a coherent strategy

A junior health ministry official warned in various media on Saturday: “It is an illusion to think that we have low numbers in Kenya. There is simply too little testing to draw that conclusion and it is becoming increasingly difficult to tell Kenyans to be on the alert ”. The contamination peak is expected in Kenya next month. The message from the rulers now seems: how do we learn to live with corona, not how do we beat the virus.

But Kenya is heading for catastrophe and the government lacks a coherent strategy to avert it. Headlines and commentaries call Uhuru Kenyatta’s government policies “gibberish”. Ministry of Health estimates that 3 million of the 47 million Kenyans are infected. Most victims, however, are asymptomatic and the government has recently recommended self-isolation, without providing clear guidelines. There are far too few test kits and without symptoms Kenyans are also not recommended to test. This keeps the population in the dark about the severity of the pandemic.

Koert Lindijer

Morocco King Mohammed VI threatens to lock the country again

The Moroccan king Mohammed VI threatens to ‘lock up’ the North African country once again if the rules – such as wearing a mouth mask and keeping your distance – are not observed much better. “Some have seen the lifting of the restrictions as the end of the pandemic,” said Head of State Mohammed VI. “Others have shown unacceptable carelessness and laxity. And some even deny that there is a pandemic. I don’t want to accuse you. I want to expressly share my concerns about the sharp increase in the number of infections and deaths. ”

More than a thousand Moroccans are infected every day. If that number continues to grow, stricter measures will be inevitable. Doctors and nurses have already warned that they can no longer handle the flow of patients. Morocco initially seemed to be able to contain the virus with a very strict lockdown. But after the borders opened to a limited extent on July 1, the number of trouble spots grew. Travel restrictions have been in place again between the Netherlands and Morocco since 13 August.

Koen Greven

France Macron wants to avoid a complete lockdown at all costs

The French president has expressed himself in an interview with the weekly newspaper Paris Match spoken out against what he calls “the zero-risk doctrine.” “Zero risk does not exist in a society,” said Emmanuel Macron. The president says he wants to prevent a new general lockdown at all costs because of the effects on the economy and society. “We cannot shut the country down,” Macron said. However, local or targeted lockdowns can be considered.

In France, most cities require the wearing of masks in public spaces. But there is no panic mood.

What makes communication difficult is that the new infections are often young people who do not necessarily get sick. The virus now circulates four times faster among people under 40 than among people over 65. That creates a false sense of security, says health minister Olivier Véran. He warns that young people can again infect more elderly people. “We absolutely must avoid putting our health system under pressure again.”

Gert van Langendonck

Israel Threatening new lockdowns and elections

In addition to “new elections” (another cabinet crisis is looming), “new lockdown” has become the main threat word in Israeli politics. This spring’s rigorous corona measures had a disastrous effect on the Israeli economy; repetition is a specter. “If we don’t change our behavior, wear masks and keep our distance, lockdowns will return,” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said for months.

All variants are discussed. A weekend lockdown, an evening lockdown, or just local lockdowns? Currently, a new holiday lockdown threatens, such as with Pesach. A month full of Jewish holidays is just around the corner and doctors and planners know that the virus also likes to visit. However, the cabinet cannot reach a decision, while the population is less and less willing to listen.

In the meantime, the cabinet is trying to deliver positive messages, for example a list of 20 countries to which Israelis are allowed to travel without having to be quarantined when they return. Good news – were it not for the fact that virtually no country still allows Israelis.

Jannie Schipper

China Overcome the devil, but stay alert

In China it is much less necessary to keep up the courage, because the disease is well under control there for the time being. In late January, while China was in the midst of the corona crisis, Chinese President Xi Jinping called the virus to the World Health Organization a “devil” that China needed to overcome. That has now been quite successful: on August 20, all of China reported only 7 new cases, all from abroad.

The government does insist that everyone remains alert. Letting the disease circulate is not an option. It is a message that was initially underlined at daily press conferences. In supermarkets it still sounds: have your temperature measured, keep your distance and wear a mouth mask in the store. That text is heard continuously from loudspeakers: it drives staff crazy.

The population has little choice: you have to do what the government tells you to do. You won’t get very far without a health app, and you can’t refuse to have your temperature measured. But the people are generally happy to cooperate, because the government gives them a corona-free environment in return.

Garrie van Pinxteren

Germany Merkel on the brake. Offers no hope of early relief

Fatigue with the limitations is growing noticeably in Germany. Chancellor Angela Merkel is understanding, but offers no hope for an early relief. They

has always maintained, in tone and content, the warning she gave the German population in mid-March: “It is serious, take it seriously.”

In Germany, the federal states deal with health issues as well as measures and relaxation. But everyone knows where Merkel is – on the brakes. It uses its authority to warn the population and to try not to divide the measures taken by states too much.

Merkel also continues to insist at every opportunity that “we are still in the middle of the pandemic,” as she said last week on a visit to North Rhine-Westphalia, one of the most affected states, where calls for easing are also ringing.

Merkel called the crisis in March the “greatest challenge since World War II,” and she continues to approach the people in that spirit. Berlin makes it clear to the public that quarantine is a legal obligation and that those who do not comply are punishable.

To Eijsvoogel

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