The president of South Africa addressed the nation with some notable updates on how the country will be dealing with the pandemic.
It’s been an eventful 24 hours in South Africa after President Cyril Ramaphosa took to the podium to deliver a much-anticipated address detailing the measures that South Africa will be taking in order to contain the coronavirus that has spread across the globe in a matter of 3 months: Covid 19.
The coronavirus has proven to have had a devastating effect on populations in the Northern Hemisphere, and although it took a long time before to reach Africa, there are now confirmed cases in more than 15 countries although the total number across the continent is still lower than any other continent at the moment.
In case you missed Ramaphosa’s full address, we’ve put together a healthy summary for you below:
1)Travel ban on high-risk countries to and from RSA incl USA from 18/03/2020
2)Visas have been limited.
3) citizens returning from high-risk countries will be subjected to self-isolation
4) all passengers from high-risk countries will be subject to screening procedures
3)all medium risk countries will be screened
4) seaports will be closed except for a few to be decided.
5) border access whether land/sea/air will be limited as per above
6) mass gatherings of more than 100 people will be cancelled and regulated.
7) schools will be closed from 18/03/2020 and opened after Easter weekend
8) correctional service visits suspended for 30 day
9) minister of higher education, training and innovation and will announce measures in this regard
10) industry shopping malls and areas of mass population called upon to bolster hygiene control
11) health systems to be bolstered to support designated hospitals and to increase contact tracing processes including private sectors involvement to assist with contact tracing
11) mass communication campaign in hygiene and social behaviour
12) Frequent hand hygiene encouraged, cough etiquette and close contact avoidance encouraged, physical contact and āelbow greetingā encouraged rather
13) sectors dealing with national response will be supported financially
14) Dr Zweli Mkhize and committee are congratulated on their management of this situation and establishment of a national command council has been undertaken to do-ordinated aspects of emergency response.
15) COVID19 will have a significant impact on the economy and drop in tourism. Exacerbated by increased infection and measures taken to limit the spread of disease. Affect on job creation and employment will be addressed by business and labour to curb impact.
16) we have the means, resources and partners including the WHO to help fight the disease and can limit the effect on our country.
17) *National state of disaster declared * , those with resources and healthy should assist those that are vulnerable
18) the presidency thanks those patients that came forward as at risk and those medical teams that lead the medical response thus far.
19) All non-essential domestic travel is banned
20) president expresses great trust in public for common action and states if we act together and decisively we will overcome it.
The above is a summary front he presidential briefing on COVID19
