All those who will defy the order to wear masks in public places in Kakamega County risk being arrested and taken to quarantine at their own cost.
It is a warning sounded by the County Governor Wycliffe Oparanya who called upon the police and County officers to start implementing it with immediate effect. According to Governor Oparanya the markets are the weakest links in the spread of the Coronavirus and wants all those going to markets and traders to ensure they wear masks. “Markets are weak links in the spread of Coronavirus and we will not allow anybody to operate there without wearing a mask as one way of combating the spread of Covid-19.”
He announced that the County will buy one million masks to be distributed to vulnerable people and healthcare workers in the County.
Out of the 1 million masks, the Governor said 600,000 re-useable masks will be distributed to vulnerable people while 400,000 others will go to healthcare workers.
He explained that masks bought by the County were meant to fill the gap being experienced.
“The County has already bought 40,000 disposable masks and 2,000 re-usable masks for healthcare workers involved in the fight against Covid-19,” said Oparanya.
The Governor also revealed that roadblocks will be mounted at all County entry points for those coming in and going out to be screened.
He also announced that the County Emergency Response Committee has formed three sub-committees; Public Health sub-committee to be chaired by MMUST don Prof John Okoth, Donations and Resource Mobilization sub-committee under the Deputy Governor Prof Philip Kutima and Finance and Logistics sub-committee to be headed by Geoffrey Omulayi, the County Executive Member in charge of Finance. “We have set up a Donations Fund to help in sourcing for food and other supplies that will be used in the fight against Covid-19. I am asking donors and other well-wishers to support the programme,” Oparanya said.
He noted that only institutions with cubical rooms will be used as isolation centers in the County revealing that Kakamega high school, the Kenya Medical Teaching College and MMUST have been identified as isolation centres within the town centre.
He added that MMUST and Kibabii Universities had been included in the County Emergency Response Committee in the fight against the pandemic because of their research backgrounds and technical expertise.
The Governor called upon private hospital morgues to adhere his order that all bodies must me buried within 48 hours.
The County has received a donation from Kenya National Chambers of Commerce and Industry (KNCCI) Kakamega Chapter.
The donation which was presented by the County chapter chairman Wycliffe Kibisu included; 240 liters of sanitizer to be distributed in all sub county hospitals, 240 liters of sanitizer for bodaboda groups within the county, buckets for hand washing, 12,000 masks among other things.