While the Erongo Region has not recorded any major crime incidents this weekend, people’s inability or unwillingness to follow COVID-19 regulations is what concerns Erongo Police Commander, Commissioner Andreas Nelumbo. Nelumbo urged residents and visitors to continue wearing masks and to social distance. When NBC News visited shops and restaurants around Swakopmund over the weekend, patrons could be seen wining and dining and having a jolly time while not wearing masks or observing social distancing despite a spike in COVID-19 cases. With Swakopmund a major domestic tourist attraction during the festive season, there is cause for concern. “What is important is that people know COVID-19 is still with us. It should be an individual responsibility to protect oneself and to protect one’s loved ones. Shop owners and owners of restaurants also have a role to play, but the individual responsibility should also be there. The numbers are going up and none of us wants to go back to a situation of lockdown,” Nelumbo pleaded. He said during the holiday season people often forget about safety and security but urged travellers to bring their part. He explained that individuals who are travelling can inform their nearest police station that their properties will be unoccupied so the area of such property can be part of the police’s routine patrols.