The government has given the green light for all public places of gathering to reopen, including churches and schools after the cabinet okayed the resumption of learning. Despite the emphasis on adherence to COVID-19 safety guidelines, citizens have bothered very little in a show of a return to the post-pandemic era.
Save the Children welcomed the move saying the decision to reopen schools would save millions of children from being victims of violence emanating from staying at home.
“The decision to re-open schools puts the smile on the face of 2.2 Million children whose right to education was impacted by over six months of schools’ closure,” Save the Children Country Director in South Sudan, Mama Hansrai said in a statement.
“However,” Hansari added, “We urge the government to ensure that these children who are out of school are mobilized to resume their education and to put in place the necessary health guidance to ensure that children, teachers and their parents are protected from potential risks pose by the COVID-19.”
The call seemed to have fallen on deaf ears. Observations by The City Review reveals that none of the precautionary guidelines are followed, even at the University of Juba, the country’s oldest higher institution of learning where lectures have resumed and, students are flocking in without facemasks.
Emboldened by the government’s decision to reopen the country, citizens outside the institutions of learning are even overlooking the impact of the coronavirus more than ever, in disregard to warning from the World Health Organization and the Ministry of Health.
Traditional social practices like hand-shaking and overcrowding have been restored. Public transport drivers are also permitting passengers to sit to full capacity as social distancing becomes a thing of the past.
“What is corona(virus)? If there was such a thing in South Sudan people would have finished by now. This was just a government strategy to lure donations from the international community and its partners,” a tout echoed one of the most common sentiments among South Sudanese, who defiantly downplayed the impact and existence of SARS-CoV-2 since its outbreak in May.
At offices, work has resumed and organizations that have uninstalled hand-washing facilities are also letting in clients without facemasks; their employees have equally abandoned the coronavirus safety regulations currently practised only at financial institutions like the banks as well as telecommunication companies.
Cases of COVID-19 infections in the country, according to the health ministry, has steadily reduced, but it is not a moment worth celebrating just yet. Dr. Thuou Loi, a Spokesperson from the Ministry of Health warned citizens on the possibility of the second wave of outbreak.
“The changing behaviour of the citizens toward the coronavirus precautionary measures is unfortunate. The virus is not yet gone, it is here with us and we must all exercise caution because we may see a second wave of the virus,” Loi told The City Review in an exclusive interview Wednesday.
Loi said “In other countries there is a surge in number of cases and we cannot rule out the possibility of a second wave of outbreak in South Sudan because the world is one village. Of course we cannot be under lockdown forever, we need to adapt the new normal and my only message to the public is that they should keep adherence to the safety guidelines.”
The United Kingdom Office of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development issued an alert to its citizens against all but essential international travel in a move signalling the prevalence of COVID-19 and its second phase of outbreak.
“Travel disruption is still possible and national control measures may be brought in with little notice,” read part of the warning posted on their official website.
When COVID-19 began to sweep through South Sudan in May this year, there was an unprecedented level of anxiety that the virus could spin out of control and leave a tragedy unseen in the history of the country. Surprisingly, the impact of the virus in the country was not as dreadful as per the predictions by experts.
In May, the number of cases was spiralling with over 30 new cases being reported. But the number of cases has stagnated from July. At the time of writing this article, South Sudan had 2,642 total confirmed cases, with 49 deaths, and 1,294 recoveries.
Cases of the novel coronavirus are soaring in many countries around the world with more than 3 million people infected. As the pandemic holds economies at ransom, however, countries are reopening, walking the tightrope tentatively. In South Sudan, procedural and careful reopening never mattered a lot.
With a return to the old normal, citizens are going about their business; but experts worry that a second wave of the virus could be catastrophic considering the change in the behavioral pattern of the public in response to COVID-19 safety guidelines.