Selling goods and services safely at the marketplace during COVID-19 pandemic

Kakamega

Many countries across the world have put in place several stringent measures aimed at curbing the spread of the deadly coronavirus (COVID-19) that drastically changed people’s lives since its arrival.

In Kenya, COVID-19 was first reported in March last year. This necessitated the closure of worship places, markets, offices, and employees were allowed to work from home save for the essential service providers.

Currently, at least 246,530 Kenyans have been infected with the virus with over 4,889 of them succumbing to the Covid-19 related complications as at September 19, 2021. This is according to the Ministry of Health in Kenya.

 As a way of averting hunger and starvation brought about by the insufficient supplies of goods and services during the pandemic, the government reopened marketplaces and those going to sell and shop at the crowded markets were required to strictly conform to the COVID-19 regulations of wearing a mask at all times, washing hands and observing of the one meter social distance.

The video is produced by Scientific Animations Without Borders Responsive Adaptive Participatory Information Dissemination Program (SAWBO RAPID) which is a project that identifies critical food security topics and delivers information through the development of animations to mitigate COVID-19’s secondary economic impacts, including disruption to trade, supply chains and markets. The project is based at Michigan State University and Purdue University in the U.S., funded by USAID under the Feed the Future initiative, and supported by the USAID Kenya Mission.

In the animation video, How to sell safely in the marketplace vendors are taught how to stay safe and healthy so the market can remain open for business to continue.

The video is produced by Scientific Animations Without Borders Responsive Adaptive Participatory Information Dissemination Program (SAWBO RAPID) which is a project that identifies critical food security topics and delivers information through the development of animations to mitigate COVID-19’s secondary economic impacts, including disruption to trade, supply chains and markets. The project is based at Michigan State University and Purdue University in the U.S., funded by USAID under the Feed the Future initiative, and supported by the USAID Kenya Mission.

SAWBO has been creating animations and delivering knowledge globally for over a decade. The SAWBO library contains over 1,000 animations on 100+ different topics in over 240 language variants reaching over 50 million known viewers.  Visit the SAWBO website for more information.

Washing of your hands with water and soap for 20 seconds will help eliminate germs. If available, be sure to use a paper towel to turn off the tap or you may put germs back onto your hands. If you cannot wash your hands, regularly use a hand sanitizer, and avoid touching your eyes, mouth, and nose.

Coronavirus can spread when an infected person breathes, cough, talks and sneezes. Germs are released to the air and one can easily get it.  These germs float in the air for several hours and if they reach a person’s nose or mouth especially for those not wearing a facemask, they can get infected.

 What to do

As a vendor or when you visit a market place which is always crowded, you should at all times wear a clean mask properly that covers your mouth and nose as this reduces COVID-19 germs from being released in the air. Wearing a mask also helps to reduce inhaling the virus from the air thus helping everyone in the community to stay healthy.

Washing of your hands with water and soap for 20 seconds will help eliminate germs. If available, be sure to use a paper towel to turn off the tap or you may put germs back onto your hands. If you cannot wash your hands, regularly use a hand sanitizer, and avoid touching your eyes, mouth, and nose.

When at the marketplace, always distance yourself from other people who are not members of your house or family by two meters. This can reduce exposure to COVID-19 droplets in the air from infected people.

For more information on how market buyers and market managers/leaders need to conduct themselves refer to two more videos; How to shop safely in the Marketplace and Marketplace Market Leader/Manager.

As a vendor at the market, always ask your customers to keep their masks on properly at all times, so that it completely covers their nose and mouth. Customers should look at but not to touch your products, this may be difficult to them but if they can tell you what they want to buy and bag the products for them, this is the safest market practice.

This is important with bulk goods, do not keep scoops in containers, keep serving utensils in a clean area away from the customers reach, make sure you are the only who touches them and serve the customers.

Prepared foods should be packed for take away only and should not be eaten at the market. You can help keep customers two meters from one another by limiting the number of customers near your stall and only selling to one customer at a time. This may also be difficult but it’s safer.

COVID-19 spreads very fast when people are talking loudly and do not have a face mask on properly. Masks help but everyone should avoid talking loudly in the market and should wear a mask at all times.

Wash your hands regularly with soap and water or use a hand sanitizer, whenever you leave or enter a market stall or touch money. If possible, provide washing stations or hand sanitizers for your customers to use too.

COVID-19 spreads very fast when people are talking loudly and do not have a face mask on properly. Masks help but everyone should avoid talking loudly in the market and should wear a mask at all times.

If your children can safely be cared for elsewhere, do not bring them to the market. This reduces their chances of getting exposed to the virus.  With fewer people at the marketplace, it can help people to observe social distance easily.

If you feel sick or have a fever, do not come to the market, if your household member is sick, or has a fever; do not come to the market. Stay at home or you may unknowingly spread the disease after being infected.

Always think about who you could ask outside your household to manage your stall when sick. The more we follow these actions the less COVID-19 will spread in your market.

SAWBO RAPID is funded through a grant from Feed the Future, the U.S. Government's global hunger and food security initiative. This blog article was made possible through support provided by the U.S. Agency for International Development under the terms of agreement no. 7200AA20LA00002. The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the U.S. Agency for International development or the U.S. government.

Remember to wear a clean mask when outside your home, wash your hands with soap regularly or use a hand sanitizer, and keep social distance. This way, you can keep earning money and working and limit the impact of the pandemic.

Disclaimer

Note: The information and content in the video (content) should not substitute for professional or medical advice, diagnosis or treatment of any kind. Michigan State University, Purdue University, and SAWBO disclaims responsibility or liability for any loss or injury that may be incurred as a result of the use of any content included in the video. Viewers and users of the video should always consult a physician or other professional for diagnosis, treatment and/or advice. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of the content of this video.

SAWBO RAPID is funded through a grant from Feed the Future, the U.S. Government’s global hunger and food security initiative. This blog article was made possible through support provided by the U.S. Agency for International Development under the terms of agreement no. 7200AA20LA00002. The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the U.S. Agency for International development or the U.S. government.

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