As part of a raft of measures taken in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak, the Government announced the suspension of flights in and out of the country and the last flight to fly out will be Turkish Airlines Saturday morning. Rwandans stranded in foreign countries have been advised to approach the country’s consular representatives for assistance. The country has proven more than once that it does not play around with the safety of its people and it will spare no cost to safeguard them. Many will remember a few years ago when hundreds of Rwandans – most of them students – who were airlifted enmasse from North Africa during the Arab Spring, so one can rest assured the same will be done if necessary. In the spirit of protecting people, errant merchants found themselves on the receiving end of authorities for hiking prices and selling fake sanitizers. So, there is no letting down of the guard. After suspending mass gatherings such as religious services and nightclubs, it was time to turn attention to bars by setting closing hours. One might be tempted to wonder the relation between closing hours and prevention against the virus, but it is common knowledge that the longer one drinks, the more “friendly” they become and become more likely to ignore the social distancing advice. Yes, all current measures are having a toll on businesses, especially the tourism and hospitality sectors which have already began counting losses, and some are already laying-off staff. So the quicker business owners and the public observe the safety measures the quicker things will come back to normal.
