More industries to reopen soon
Sit-down restaurants, casinos and accredited accommodation will soon open to the public under stringent conditions after being closed for over 80 days since the lockdown was announced in March.
Personal care services, including salons and personal beauty services, will also be permitted to offer their services, while sports lovers will soon be able to play contactless games, with some contact sport to be allowed with defined restrictions.
Addressing the nation in a live televised broadcast on Wednesday night, President Cyril
Ramaphosa said, “There are businesses that haven’t earned an income or revenue, and individuals who haven’t earned a salary for over 80 days, even with the measures we put in place to support companies, workers and poor households as part of the R500 billion relief package that we announced.”
“Following discussions with industry representatives on stringent prevention protocols, and after advice from scientists and consultation with Premiers, Cabinet has decided to ease restrictions on certain other economic activities,” the President said on Wednesday.
Industries due to reopen soon
- Restaurants for ‘sit-down’ meals. - Accredited and licensed accommodation, except home-sharing accommodation like Airbnb.
- Conferences and meetings for business purposes and in line with restrictions on public gatherings.
- Cinemas and theatres, to be aligned to limitations on the gathering of people. - Casinos.
- Personal care services, including hairdressers and beauty services. - Non-contact sports such as golf, tennis, cricket and others.
- Contact sports will be allowed only for training and modified activities with restricted use of facilities.
However, strict safety requirements need to be put in place before they can reopen.
Details would be announced in due course, the President said.
The President said these businesses employed over 500 000 people before the lockdown.
Many other countries are in the same boat during this global pandemic and were resolving similar dilemmas. “We are therefore working closely with international agencies and other countries in responding to Coronavirus.”
The death toll now stands at 1 674 people, while there are 80 412 confirmed Coronavirus cases in SA since the outbreak. Of these, 44 331 people – or around 55% – have recovered.
“That means there are currently 34 407 active cases in the country. Yet, as we know, the cost in human lives could have been far higher,” President Ramaphosa said.
He said he was heartened by news of a possible breakthrough in the treatment of COVID-19, led by the University of Oxford in Britain.
The study found that the drug, dexamethasone, which is also manufactured here in South Africa, reduced deaths among patients on ventilation by a third.
“The Department of Health and the Ministerial Advisory Committee has recommended that dexamethasone can be considered for use on patients on ventilators and oxygen supply.”
The President described how government had managed to delay the spread of the virus.
“One of the ways of measuring the rate of transmission is what is called ‘doubling time’,” he explained. This is the number of days it takes for the total number of cases to double.
In the three weeks before the implementation of the nationwide lockdown, the number of infections was doubling every two days, while during level 5, it had increased to 15 days.
During levels 4 and 3, the doubling time has been at around 12 days.
“Even after 100 days, we are still near the beginning of this epidemic and it will remain with us for many more months, possibly years,” the President said.
“Through our behaviour as individuals, we can reduce the likelihood that we will get infected or infect others. It is through our personal and collective actions that we can continue to delay the rate of infection across society,” he said.
He has urged the nation to continue to wear cloth masks or similar piece of clothing that covers both nose and mouth at all times when in public to reduce the rate of transmission of the virus. – Sanews.gov.za