To Starve or to Catch Covid-19? Emergency Management of a Public Health Crisis and Impact on Economically Distressed Communities

Abstract

When the novel coronavirus-2 (or SARS-CoV-2) extruded upon the world, it spread quickly. Africa appeared to avoid contagion; but the first case was reported in Egypt on February 14th, 2020. On March 14th 2020, Kenya recorded its first case. By then, most countries had shut down air travel, borders, and most human-to-human contact. Kenya then shut down schools, government offices, business and social gatherings. It articulated quarantine protocols and facilities at user cost and imposed a 7pm -5am curfew. Kenya has no social welfare system and makes no provisions for citizens to meet their physiological needs. For Nairobi"s four million plus population, this had deleterious impacts; the myriad small businesses and the 60 percent GDP derived from an agricultural economy also buffeted by 70-year locust infestation and seasonal flooding. Analyzing government responses to COVID-19 reveals a disconnect between elites and every-day citizens, the former unable/unwilling to synthesize the impact of shutdowns on daily wage-earners. The government"s solutions to reduce the spread of Covid-19 were also selfdefeating. This article provides an in-depth analysis of the impact of COVID-19 in Kenya. The analysis shows significant outcomes in health, education and the economy, increased levels of poverty and malnutrition.