MANBIJ, Syria (North Press) – The views of the residents of the city of Manbij northern Syria, regarding the most effective ways to prevent the spread of coronavirus differ between supporters of strict measures and those who believe that some measures stop business and impede access to basic materials.
On Sunday, two Manbij residents died from the virus, and the Health Board in the Autonomous Administration recorded six more deaths in its regions and 396 new infections, including 19 in Manbij.
Manbij resident Khalil Hamid believes that the decision to ban gatherings recently issued by the Autonomous Administration does not work, as the nature of daily life and work people to be in close quarters.
This is despite the fact that he is convinced that following health measures, like social distancing and wearing masks, is a duty for all residents. Hamid adds that the Manbij Health Committee should stress the wearing of gloves and masks instead of issuing a lockdown decision similar to what was recently imposed in Jazira region.
On September 14, the Executive Council of the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria issued a circular banning all gatherings and stressed the need to adhere to wearing masks and adhering to personal protection and social distancing measures.
However, Hamid and others say that the congestion at gas stations, where owners of vehicles are forced to gather, in addition to shopping, buying bread and other activities, all lead to overcrowding.
He believes that the Autonomous Administration should meet the basic needs of residents before it issues any decision related to lockdown, as “we need to secure the food for our families.”
At a gas station in Manbij, truck driver Sa’id Assaf stands waiting for his turn to fill up amid a gathering without taking any precautionary measures.
Assaf believes that wearing face masks is better than imposing a lockdown, because of a lockdown’s negative effects on the daily life of the residents in terms of securing daily necessities.
He recalls the last time of the complete lockdown to the city, when he was struggling to meet the needs of his home in terms of food, vegetables, and bread as a result of the overcrowding of shops and bakeries that were forced to open during specific hours only.
Assaf said that all residents are forced to go to the market, which leads to overcrowding and large gatherings in which no one wears masks.
Manbij Health Committee co-chair Ahmed Hilal said that coronavirus infections in the city of Manbij are increasing. Since the beginning of this month, the committee has recorded 15 infections, including six recoveries and three deaths.
He added that the decision to prevent gatherings and impose preventative measures is being implemented in civil administration institutions since the first day of the decision’s issuance, in contrast to markets that are crowded with people without any preventative measures.
About the possibility of imposing a complete or partial lockdown in the city, he said that this is related to the infection rate, and in the event that infections spike, a meeting of the Crisis Management Team will be held to issue a decision commensurate with the situation.
The health official called on the residents of Manbij to follow the instructions and decisions issued by the Health Committee, and the necessity of adhering to preventative measures, social distancing, and prevent gatherings, which are a key factor in passing the virus.