MESSRY LUNG’ATSO

 HOW TO SHOP SAFELY IN MARKET PLACES DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC.

With the emergence of the coronavirus, various sectors of our economy have been adversely affected. Most workplaces resorted to working from home in a bid to reduce the spread of the virus. Our local markets were also affected as many vendors closed their businesses to avoid getting infected. In some places, the markets were shut down. This reduced food supply chain, and sellers  had huge losses. 

There are guidelines put forward by Feed the Future Scientific Animations Without Borders Responsive Adaptive Participatory Information Dissemination Program (SAWBO RAPID) to observe as market users i.e. sellers, shoppers and market leaders to help reduce the spread of the virus. As shoppers, it is prudent to follow the guidelines so as to stay safe and keep the vendors safe as well, and in the long run this will ensure that our markets remain open.

Feed the Future Scientific Animations Without Borders Responsive Adaptive Participatory Information Dissemination Program (SAWBO RAPID) a project of Scientific Animation Without Borders (SAWBO) has produced animations identifying critical food security topics and delivering knowledge to mitigate COVID-19’s secondary economic impacts, including disruption to trade, supply chains and markets. The project is based at Michigan State University and Purdue University in the U.S., funded by USAID under the Feed the Future initiative, and supported by the USAID Kenya Mission.

 SAWBO, has been creating animations and delivering knowledge globally for over a decade. The SAWBO library contains over 1,000 animations on 100+ different topics in over 200 language variants reaching over 45 million known viewers. Visit the SAWBO website for more information. 

Market place safety by buyer | Picture Courtesy SAWBO, photographer-Gerald Andrew Akolo

Corona virus spreads whenever an infected person breathes, coughs, talks or sneezes by releasing invisible germs to the air. People may in turn inhale the infected air and contract the disease. It is therefore our responsibility to adhere to COVID-19 protocol stipulated by our local authorities. There are three things we can observe as shoppers to reduce the spread of the virus in our marketplaces (https://sawbo.page.link/gL8B). 

We should first properly wear a clean snug fitting mask to cover both the nose and the mouth. A mask helps reduce the coronavirus germs from being released to the air. Wearing a mask reduces chances of one inhaling the germs. When we all wear our masks the right way, we reduce the chances of us getting infected and the virus will spread at a slower rate keeping the whole community at a lower risk of contracting the virus. The spread of the virus can be high when we don’t wear our masks properly as shown in the SAWBO RAPID animation videos.

 Second, make sure to wash your hands regularly with soap and clean water for at least 20 seconds. Washing hands helps eliminate germs that we may have gathered in our various activities. It is advisable to use a disposable paper towel to close the tap after washing to avoid picking up germs. In case you have no water, use hand sanitizer regularly to sanitize your hands for at least  20 seconds. You should also avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth.

Third observe a 2-meter distance or the distance recommended by your local authorities with people that are not from your household. This is clearly shown in the SAWBO RAPID animation videos. Maintaining this distance throughout our market activities will reduce chances of exposure to the coronavirus droplets in the air from infected people.

Shoppers  can play a big role in reducing the spread of the virus. In addition to the above stated three guidelines, there are many more safe market practice shoppers can observe. You should at all times plan what you will purchase in the market and probably make a list while still at home. This will make it easy for you to shop and therefore spend less time in the market. Go shopping when there are fewer people in the market to avoid interacting with many people. It is safer to leave children at home under supervision as this helps reduce the risk of children being exposed to the virus. Whenever your household member is unwell or infected with coronavirus, stay at home and have someone else do your shopping for you. You might unknowingly be infected and going to the market increases the chances of you spreading the virus to other people. 

When shopping at the market, ensure you wear your mask properly always.  Do not remove your mask at any instance even when you want to be heard well. Always observe the 2-meter distance with the rest of the shoppers and vendors. Make sure to avoid hand greetings or hugging but instead, make salutation by waving. Once you are in the market, buy enough produce to last you longer to avoid frequent visits to the market. Avoid touching goods but rather point and have the seller pack the goods for you. You should not touch utensils shared by others. Avoid eating samples at the market, all prepared food should be properly packaged and carried to be eaten at home. Upon arrival at home, make sure to properly wash your hands with soap and clean water for at least twenty seconds.

Watch and download all the three videos on safe market practice for vendors, buyers and market leaders provided by SAWBO RAPID. Follow the instructions as stated and share the videos widely on your WhatsApp groups, Facebook pages, via Bluetooth and Xender. This will help the mass understand the roles they play as buyers, sellers or market leaders. We need to keep our markets safe as this will ensure the food supply chain is not altered. Observing the regulations helps reduce the spread of the virus and ensures our markets remain open throughout the pandemic.

Washing hands at the market | Picture Courtesy SAWBO, photographer-Gerald Andrew Akolo

Below are links to videos translated to local languages. 

Videos	Links
Marketplace – Vendor
English	https://sawbo.page.link/o5JD
Swahili	https://sawbo.page.link/Zauv
Marketplace – Shopper
Chonyi	https://sawbo.page.link/7Dti
English	https://sawbo.page.link/gL8B
Giryama	https://sawbo.page.link/r7Pf
Kamba	https://sawbo.page.link/8JQJ
Mijikenda-Jibana	https://sawbo.page.link/R4Ft
Nandi	https://sawbo.page.link/J3DG
Pokot	https://sawbo.page.link/WSTR
Swahili	https://sawbo.page.link/bA8a
Marketplace – Leader
English	https://sawbo.page.link/xkWu
Giryama	https://sawbo.page.link/iiMH
Kamba	https://sawbo.page.link/GShC
Nandi	https://sawbo.page.link/s75L
Pokot	https://sawbo.page.link/N9LT
Swahili	https://sawbo.page.link/FW5o

Disclaimer:

Note: The information and content in the video (content) should not substitute for professional or medical advice, diagnosis or treatment of any kind. Michigan State University, Purdue University, and SAWBO disclaims responsibility or liability for any loss or injury that may be incurred as a result of the use of any content included in the video. Viewers and users of the video should always consult a physician or other professional for diagnosis, treatment and/or advice. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of the content of this video.

SAWBO RAPID is funded through a grant from Feed the Future, the U.S. Government’s global hunger and food security initiative. This blog article was made possible through support provided by the U.S. Agency for International Development under the terms of agreement no. 7200AA20LA00002. The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the U.S. Agency for International development or the U.S. government.