The county has set up various measures to mitigate on Covid-19 pandemic.
The following measures have been put in place.
- Set up of isolation facilities.
The county has set up an isolation ward at Kerugoya County Referral Hospital and identified other institutions that can be used as isolation centers should the need arise.
The county also has well equipped health facilities and has distributed sanitizers, masks and personal protection equipment for use by health workers in the various health facilities across the county.
All the healthcare givers have and community health workers have been trained on Covid-19 management protocols.
- Screening at border points.
The county government has been carrying out continuous community engagement and public awareness creation in markets, transport terminals and the villages.
Disease surveillance has also been scaled up as well as monitoring of people in quarantine, tracing of contacts, isolating and facilitating the testing of suspected corona cases.
Checkpoints have also been mounted at all the county’s borders whereby all people crossing to Kirinyaga from neighboring counties are screened for Covid-19. About 2300 people are screened on a daily basis.
The screening exercise is aimed at identifying any person with symptoms associated with corona virus to enable early intervention.
- Facemask production at Kaitheri apparel factory.
To meet the high demand for face masks, Kirinyaga county has kicked off mass production of masks.
The Wezesha Apparel factory, which is producing 1,000 masks daily, has been producing hospital linen and health workers’ uniforms.
Governor Anne Waiguru said the factory will cater for all masks needed in the county and beyond.
- Fumigation Exercise at Kagio Market and Public Areas
H.E. Governor Anne Waiguru led the fumigation exercise at Kagio market with the county government continuously undertaking the fumigation exercise in all the market places, bus stations, public sanitation blocks and health facilities. - Enforcement of Social Distancing at markets
To enforce social distancing in market places, the County Government has been educating traders on the need to decongest the markets and maintain a distance of at least one and a half meters from one another. H.E. Governor Anne Waiguru has been in the forefront in ensuring the social distance rule is adhered to by demonstrating to traders at Kagio Market.
To decongest the markets which attract thousands of traders, some of the traders have been moved to car parks and other grounds. For example, some of the Kagio market traders are now using the car parks while others have been moved to Kagio Secondary School.
The county has also abolished specific market days and opened the markets for traders every day of the week thereby reducing congestion in the markets.
