Barakoa (masks) during COVID-19 : malevolent pathogens and pandemic responses in Kenya after 600 days / Stephen M. Magu (editor).

Format:

Book

Contributor:

Magu, Stephen M., editor.

Series:

Public Health in the 21st Century

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

COVID-19 (Disease).

Physical Description:

1 online resource (224 pages)

Place of Publication:

New York, New York : Nova Science Publishers, [2022]

Summary:

"On 2nd November, 2021, Kenya marked 600 days since the first COVID-19 case was identified and diagnosed in the country, 'imported' by a returning traveler from the US by way of London, UK. Since then, Kenya progressively took steps and implemented strategies at the individual, governmental, public health, societal and international levels to combat the pandemic. Some of the strategies mirrored those adopted elsewhere: curfews, lockdowns, masking, social-distancing, closure of high-contact areas such as educational and religious institutions, and political activity, banned by the government but still widely practised. This book examines the trajectory of COVID-19 in the country, the various responses that the government and the public have undertaken, how socio-cultural, political and religious beliefs and practices have affected contagion and constrained stopping its spread and assesses the impact of the pandemic on different constituencies. It focuses on the peculiar circumstances of the Kenyan society, such as high dependence on public transportation, religious affiliation, boarding educational institutions and political rallies in the context of the 2022 general elections in August 2022, and the superficiality of the responses. It also examines the progress and the setbacks that have manifested as a result of the gendered nature of the pandemic, work and societal beliefs, practices and strategies. This book illustrates one of the most peculiar habits adopted by Kenyans: the government mandated masks, but Kenyans, either disbelieving their effectiveness or unconcerned with the pandemic's seriousness, took to hanging a mask around the chin only so as to comply with the rules (and not potentially part with a bribe if caught by the police without a mask), or borrowing masks from others at the sight of police. The book also highlights the challenges of a vaccine-skeptic public and overreactions by government, implementing very little testing and requiring vaccinations in order for citizens to access government services, despite the availability being marginal"-- Provided by publisher.

Contents:

Intro

Contents

Preface

Preliminaries

Timeline of the COVID-19 Pandemic in Kenya

2020

2021

List of Persons, Abbreviations, and Terms

Select COVID-19-Related Key Persons, Groups and Organizations

Abbreviations of Some Uncommon Terms

COVID-19's New Vocabulary [or Increased Use due to COVID]

Introduction

Structure of the Book

Chapter 1

The Kenyan Government's COVID-19 Administrative Responses and Strategies

Abstract

Novel Pandemic, Suspect Capacity and Steep Learning Curves

Government Communications, Public Information and Emergency Management

Communication: Messaging

Public Information and Communication: Institutions as Collaborators

Public Information and Communications on Vaccines

Institutional Disaster and Pandemic Management: Government by Committee? - NERC

Human Movement: Transmission+

Constraining Human Movement: Curfews, Lockdowns and Travel Bans

COVID Curfews and Pandemic Inequality

Jirani and Complexity: Tanzania's COVID-19 Denials and Impacts

Chapter 2

Public Health Responses and Strategies: Basic Hygiene Responses

SARS-CoV-2: Anatomy of a Perfect Pathogen

The Structure of COVID-19's Transmissibility

Basic Hygiene Responses and Mitigation Strategies

Hand Sanitizing

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), Masks and Mandates

Masks on Kenyan Streets

Kenyans' 'Peculiar' Mask Habits

Deleterious: The Practice of Sharing Masks

Masks at Half-Mask

Masks at Full Mask: The Sight of Police

Public Information on Masks

The Last Word on Masks

Chapter 3

Public Health Strategies: Epidemiological Responses

Quarantines and Quarantine Facilities

The Quarantine from Hell

ABCs of COVID-19 Management: Testing, Tracking and Tracing

Testing: Prohibitively Costly and Unavailable

Testing and Stigma.

Failing the Test? Serosurveys and Seroprevalence

Vaccines and Their Controversies

Before COVID-19: Thinking About Influenza Viruses

Why Vaccine Hesitancy? Considering Attenuated Viruses

Understanding, Sharing the Science behind Vaccines

COVID-19 Vaccines, Availability and Vaccine Nationalism

Wherefore, Kenya?

Chapter 4

Government Institutional and Administrative Responses and Reactions

Preventing and Committing Injustices: of Government Institutions

Public Order Responses

Public Order Act as a COVID-19 Containment Strategy

Power, Politics and Irony: 'Wananchi versus Wenye-nchi'

Public Gatherings: Ironies of Leadership

Corruption and Rent-Seeking

Corruption in Enforcing COVID-19 Restrictions

Other Macro, Policy-Level Interventions

COVID-19 Meets Kenyan Realities: WFH, Matatus etc.

Chapter 5

Economic Impacts, Governance Implications and Educational Outcomes

Before COVID-19: The Corruption Pandemic Afflicting Us

Institutional Corruption Around COVID-19

KEMSA Procurement and COVID 'Millionaires'

Economic Slowdowns, Shutdowns and Government Responses

Educational Responses and Impacts

School Is More Than Learning: School Nutrition

Uncommon Impacts of Interrupted Learning

Pandemic Blues and a More Equitable Kenya

Chapter 6

Socio-Cultural Traditions, Religious Observances and Community Responses

A Complex, Religious Nation: Religious Responses

Religious Faiths: Between Organized Religion and Social Distancing

A Non-Negative, Supportive Role of Religion

Socio-Cultural Traditions: Funerals

Funerary Culture: Constraint or Potential Asset?

Initiation: Circumcision and FGM

Traditions: Rise in FGM Prevalence during COVID-19

Weddings, Bride-Price/Wealth and Other Celebratory Occasions.

Harambees: Pulling Together or Pooling Contagion?

Some Thoroughly Confusing Considerations

Chapter 7

COVID-19 Mitigation Strategies, Implications and Outcomes

Exacerbating Gender (In)-Equality in the Age of COVID-19

Effects on Food Security, Nutrition and Wellness

Human Development Implications and Impact on Poverty

Impact on Health, Care and Access

COVID-19's Impact on Mental Health

On Government, Governance and Human Security

COVID-19's Law(s) of Dynamic Negatives

Other Miscellaneous Impacts and Proposals for Effectiveness

Conclusion

An Overview of the State of Affairs: February 2020 - February 2022

This Volume: Reviewing Kenya's Situation to 600 Days

References

Author's Contact Information

Index

Blank Page

Blank Page.

Notes:

Description based upon print version of record.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Description based on print version record.

Other Format:

Print version: Magu, Stephen M. Barakoa (Masks) During COVID-19: Malevolent Pathogens and Pandemic Responses in Kenya after 600 Days

ISBN:

9798886970142