Pandemic

Kenyans have until May 22 to submit their recommendations to a taskforce on re-opening of schools following the coronavirus pandemic. The taskforce chairperson Dr Sara Ruto has asked Kenyans to submit written memoranda to the Secretariat, which is based at Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD) by e-mail to covid19erc@kicd.ac.ke or through P.O. Box 30231-00100, Nairobi.

In today’s globalised world, characterised by the ever increasing trans-boundary flows of people and goods, the further spread of the pandemic is even greater. Infectious diseases spread more quickly than they ever have before, as evidenced by SARs, Ebola, Zika and bird flu outbreaks with the largest in the 21st century being COVI9-19 that has become a global matter.

Since the start of the outbreak of Covid-19, the virus has spread to over 184 countries and territories. The world has come together in an effort to combat the virus and one of the many ways is the launch of a global Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP) on 25th March 2020.

The COVID-19 pandemic is expected to exacerbate an already alarming food insecurity situation. Before the emergence of the pandemic, food insecurity was already on the rise in the region due to factors such as climatic shocks and livestock pests and diseases. The desert locust outbreak added to the already growing concerns.