Deir ez-Zor – North-Press Agency
Like others, residents of the city of Deir ez-Zor in eastern Syria are taking measures to prevent the outbreak of coronavirus, in conjunction with sterilization campaigns and measures to reduce the movement of people and gatherings. However, some are mocked by people who downplay the size of the risk of the epidemic, which has now spread worldwide.
Some residents criticize this situation, especially after all the tragedies caused by COVID-19 epidemic all over the world and in neighboring countries. "Some residents still downplay its risks, justifying it by discussing the harsh conditions they experienced during years of the Syrian war, and that it was more severe than an epidemic."
Abu Hamza (pseudonym), who was sitting in a chair in front of his house in al-Joura neighborhood, told North-Press that he and many others see little use in taking measures to prevent the epidemic. “We lived through a siege whose bitterness we will never forget, and now we do not care about coronavirus or anything else, and we will never be bound by anything except by what Allah has decreed for us.”
Many countries in the world have announced the outbreak of the virus after downplaying its risks. Last week, the President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen told reporters: “We are not experts, but I think we all downplayed the importance of coronavirus in the beginning.”
Ahmad al-Kamesh, a resident of al-Qusour neighborhood, said that he wears a mask to prevent the infection of coronavirus, according to the principle of “an ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure.”
A small tour in the streets of Deir ez-Zor is enough to confirm what al-Kamesh mentioned, as walking around is normal and one can rarely meet someone who avoids getting close to others.
A child named Muhammad al-Omar faced bullying, mockery and laughter from his companions when he walked away from them while they were playing in the street, because wearing a mask seemed strange to them.
Though al-Omar said: “I will not take it off and I will stay away from them. This is what my mother warned me when I left the house to buy some things.”
Rasha al-Obeid, member of Deir ez-Zor City Council, said that the provincial council has taken all preventive measures to address the new coronavirus, and sterilization vehicles have sprayed and cleaned all streets, in addition to awareness campaigns among the population and the reduction of gatherings and number of employees in government departments as much as possible.
On March 22, Minister of Health in the Syrian government, Nizar Yazji, had announced the first case of coronavirus infection in Syria, which was of a girl who was coming from abroad, but human rights and media bodies accuse the Syrian government of covering up any existing infections.