Some Members of Parliament have blamed Director of Health Services Dr. Malaki Tshipayagae for having misled them regarding quarantine and transmission of COVID-19. According to the MPs when Dr. Tshipayagae told the Special Parliament Meeting on Thursday this past week that when exposed to the virus it takes the infected between five (5) and 14 days to transmit the virus, it gave them the impression that within the period they got exposed to the COVID-19 health officer deployed to the meeting, it would be less risky to have been in public places.
Three MPs were on Wednesday placed under government supervised mandatory quarantine after they were seen in public places doing some shopping. This publication has learnt that three MPs were not the only ones who flouted the quarantine rules as other MPs were allegedly also doing shopping at other malls.
The three MPs who were spotted at West Gate Mall and placed under supervised quarantine at Avani Hotel are Nata-Gweta MP Polson Majaga, Christian Greeff of Gaborone Bonnington South and Pono Moatlhodi of Tonota. About 17 other MPs are said to have been quarantined at Avani Hotel. Earlier on the day during the meeting MP Greeff asked if the virus can be transmitted the same day the person got infected. Dr. Tshipayagae replied that in most cases to transmit the virus when you get exposed it takes a period of five to 14 days.
“This is the time when you will be shedding the virus. Day one (1) is unusual to transmit the virus. This is why we test you after ten days because the first day many of you will test negative because the virus is so low." After being exposed on social media the three MPs apologised to the public. They also pointed out that they decided to do shopping because they knew they were going for quarantine and their understanding of the director was that they are less of a risk to the public.
President Mokgweetsi Masisi, his cabinet, MPs and all those who attended the special meeting including members of the media have been quarantined for 14 days. They have been given the mandatory quarantine with two options; self-isolation and quarantine place availed by government through the ministry. They also were given a Daily Monitoring Tool Form to record their temperature and any observation such as headache, shortness of breath, vomiting, pains in the throat and lungs.