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COVID-19: Habits to kill!

Homepage Communicable diseases COVID-19: Habits to kill!
Communicable diseases, Public Health

COVID-19: Habits to kill!

March 18, 2020
By Christie Linonge
0 Comment
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“Mmcchheeww mmcchheeww” the driver sneezes

“Why would you just sneeze like that in the open?” the man sitting in the passenger seat shouts.

“Is there a toilet for sneezing?” the driver scoffs. His name is Ali. He is a renowned taxi driver in the seaside town of Limbe.

“Driver you would drop us oh! What kind of rubbish is this?” the woman in the seat next to you retorts, her temper flaring. “Somebody would just leave his house, pay you transport fare and carry your Coronavirus free of charge.”

She is wearing a Women’s day kabba, so in your head, you call her Madam Women’s day.

“God forbid! It is you who has Corona!” Ali interjects rapidly, looking at her from the rear-view mirror. “A man cannot sneeze freely now in his car without people suspecting him. That thing is a scam”

“Get infected, then you will tell us whether or not it is really a scam. But what is this Coronavirus even?” a man in the passenger seat asks. He is well dressed in a black suit so you call him Mr Gentleman.

“Coronavirus is a viral infection that causes respiratory illnesses ranging from the common cold to more severe breathing difficulty.” you seize the opportunity to share your knowledge with them.

“Is it true that this thing was manufactured by the Chinese?” the man in the passenger’s seat asks looking at you from the rear view mirror.

“It must be. If not why is it spreading rapidly like this?” it is Madam Women’s day who speaks

“Well there is no proof that the virus was manufactured but the reason why the virus spreads rapidly is because we carry it around!”

“God forbid oh!”

You proceed to explain.

“If an infected person sneezes or coughs and you are standing at close range to them, some of the droplets from his saliva can be transmitted to you like. However, if he sneezes in his palms and greets you or touches a surface, he can also transmit the virus. If you touch your face with those hands, you can easily contaminate yourself. That is why we must regularly wash our hands or sanitize them, keep a distance of about one meter, avoid overcrowding in public places and avoid touching our faces.”


“That must be why they also say we should cough or sneeze in our elbows.” Mr Gentleman adds, looking at the taxi driver with a frown.

“I am not infected.” Ali asserts. “Have you not heard that only old people or sick people can be infected? Besides I chew garlic every morning immediately after I brush my teeth and in the evening, when I come back, I drink a very hot cup of fever grass or dry gin.”

“That recipe must be very  effective then because a friend of mine told me that she throws garlic and onions in a cup of hot water which she drinks every morning and evening.”

“Well, it is true that old people with other illnesses have more severe forms of the infection but everybody can be infected. Also there is no proof that ginger, garlics, lemon grass tea or onion prevents you from having the virus or that they can cure you of it. The best method is to protect yourself by respecting the measures that have been put in place (Social distancing, wearing a mask and practising hand hygiene). Like they say, better safe than sorry.”

“Driver, I will alight at Isokolo market,” you say.

The driver slows to a halt and you open the door to leave.

“Thank you my son.” Madam Women’s day says to you as you pay your fare. Her hands are delicately balanced on her cheeks.

“You’re touching your face.” You say, smiling at her.

“This thing is very hard oh, but we must do our best,” she says, placing both hands in the pocket of her kabba.

 

 

“Mmcchheeww mmcchheeww”  le chauffeur éternua

‘‘ Pourquoi éternuez-vous comme ça à l’air libre ?’’ cria le Monsieur assis au siège passager avant.

‘‘ Y’a-t’il des toilettes pour éternuer ?’’ lança le chauffeur d’un ton moqueur.  Il s’appelle Ali. C’est un célèbre chauffeur de taxi dans la cité balnéaire de Limbé.

‘‘Vous allez nous déposer hein chauffeur ! c’est quoi ces bêtises ?’’ répliqua la dame assise près du jeune homme, énervée. ‘‘Quelqu’un va quitter sa maison,  payer son transport  et attraper ton Coronavirus gratuitement.’’ Elle est habillée d’un kabba de la journée de la femme, appelons-la donc Mme 8 Mars.

‘‘ Dieu m’en garde ! C’est vous qui avez Corona !” répondit Ali, la regardant à travers le rétroviseur.  ‘‘ Quelqu’un ne peut plus éternuer tranquillement dans sa voiture sans qu’on le suspecte. L’histoire là c’est l’arnaque’’

‘‘Sois infecté, ensuite tu nous diras si c’est vraiment une arnaque ou pas. Mais c’est même quoi ce Coronavirus ?’’ demanda un monsieur assis côté  passager. Il était bien habillé en costume noir  appelons-le donc  Mr Gentleman.

‘‘Coronavirus est une infection virale qui cause des maladies respiratoires  pouvant varier d’un simple rhume à de graves difficultés respiratoires’’ dit  le jeune homme.

‘‘Est-ce vrai que ce virus a été fabriqué par les Chinois ?’’ demanda le monsieur assis côté passager en regardant à travers le rétroviseur.

‘‘ Ça doit être vrai. Sinon pourquoi ça se propage aussi rapidement ?’’ C’est Madame 8 Mars qui parle.

‘‘ En fait rien ne prouve que le virus a été fabriqué mais la raison pour laquelle le virus se propage rapidement c’est parce que  nous le transportons !’’

‘‘Dieu nous en garde oh’’

‘‘Si une personne infectée tousse ou éternue et que vous êtes placé assez près d’elle, certaines gouttelettes de sa salive peuvent vous contaminer,  elle peut également transférer des particules virales, si elle éternue dans ses mains et vous salue ou touche une surface. Si vous touchez votre visage avec ces mains, vous pouvez vous contaminer. C’est pourquoi nous devons régulièrement laver nos mains ou les désinfecter, garder un distance d’au moins un mètre, éviter les lieux publiques et éviter de toucher nos visages.’’ Expliqua le jeune homme.

‘‘C’est surement pour cela qu’ils ont aussi dit que nous devons tousser ou éternuer dans nos coudes.’’ Ajouta  Mr Gentleman  en jetant un regard au chauffeur.

‘‘ Je ne suis pas infecté.’’ Affirma Ali. ‘‘ N’avez-vous pas entendu que seuls les vieux et les personnes malades peuvent être infectés ? et en plus, je mâche du gingembre chaque matin immédiatement après mon brossage et chaque soir quand je rentre, je prends une tasse de tisane bien chaude.’’

‘‘ Cette recette doit être très efficace alors parce qu’un ami m’a dit qu’il mélange de l’ail et des oignons  dans une tasse d’eau chaude et boit chaque matin et soir.’’

‘‘ En effet il est vrai  que les personnes âgées ayant  d’autres maladies ont des formes plus sévères de l’infection mais tout le monde peut être infecté. Par ailleurs il n’ya aucune preuve que le gingembre, l’ail, les tisanes ou les oignons protègent contre le virus ou bien le soignent. La meilleure manière de se protéger c’est en respectant les mesures mise en place. Comme on dit prévenir vaut mieux que guérir.’’

‘‘ Chauffeur, je descends au marché Isokolo,’’ dit le jeune homme.

Le chauffeur ralenti à l’arrêt et le jeune homme ouvre la portière pour sortir.

‘‘ Merci mon fils.’’ Mme 8 Mars lui dit-elle tandis qu’il  paye ses frais de transport. Ses mains sont posées sur ses joues.

‘‘ Vous êtes entrain de toucher votre visage.’’ Lui dit-il en souriant.

‘‘ L’affaire là est très difficile hein, mais nous devons faire de notre mieux,’’ dit-elle en mettant ses deux mains dans les poches de son kabba.

Written by Bill-Erich Mbianyor.

Translation, Yonta Sonia

Tags: Covid19 disease prevention hygiene infectious disease public health WASH

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