NKANA Independent member of parliament Binwell Mpundu says there has been a casual approach in dealing with the pandemic lately, admitting that he doesn’t remember when he last spoke about COVID-19 as a leader.

In an interview, Mpundu said almost everyone had gone to sleep with regards to COVID-19.

“You know, we’ve all gone to sleep relating to the issue of COVID. So I will be lying if I tell you that there are activities going on in regards to sensitisation. Look, every one of us has gone to sleep, I might confess. The truth is that the number of COVID-19 [cases] is reportedly getting higher and for me, I want to attribute it to the casual approach that we have adopted over a couple of months. And I personally want to confess that as compared to those other times when COVID was at its peak when almost every other day we would at least hear about COVID, I don’t remember as a leader the last time I spoke about COVID,” said Mpundu.

“So, for me, the confession is that this fight has taken a twist in that almost everyone has gone to sleep including the Ministry of Health. I think that the Ministry of Health has since been relaxed, most in regard to COVID. You know prevention of COVID, you are aware that in most of the public places now, it’s not strictly a mandate to even wear a mask. So I think for us we must admit that we have dropped our guard and there is need for us to heighten up measures to curb the further spread of COVID. The truth is that COVID cases are increasing, as to whether these cases are much more severe than the first reported cases, that I wouldn’t be sure of. But it looks like the new wave of COVID this time around is a bit mild, that is why I think people are a little bit [in a] relaxed mode but I think there is need for us to keep the fight up and raise more awareness over COVID.”