DOCTORS SAY ‘NO’ TO RAGE

An influential group of Gauteng doctors are adamant that this year’s Rage event should not be allowed.

A group of 282 GPs, who make up the Gauteng General Practitioners Collaboration (GGPC), say they saw firsthand the increased spread of the Coronavirus when 848 cases were traced back to last year’s event.

Although the organisers of Rage, G&G Productions, have introduced stringent safety measures for this year’s event, GGPC say that it will still not be enough to prevent another super-spreader situation.

“The third wave of SARS Cov-2 infections has not yet receded, and a fourth wave is strongly predicted for November, with a new and more dangerous or more contagious variant being a possibility. However good their intentions, we don’t believe that the Covid19 safety measures suggested by the organisers can prevent the spread of the virus,” the GGPC wrote to school principals on September 12.

Greg Walsh of G&G Productions said that attendees would have to be vaccinated, in line with the Minister of Health’s recent ‘Return to Play’ campaign which aims to increase vaccination levels countrywide.

“Let’s not ‘say no’. Let’s work together to do things safely. We are also trying to be part of the solution by incentivising young people to get vaccinated – the fear narrative won’t work,” he wrote.

He also pleaded for people living off the crippled entertainment sector who have been unable to work since Covid-19 lockdowns began last March.

“Give the arts, sport and culture sector a break, people. You cannot imagine the pain and suffering of millions of families without work due to Covid-19. The number is 1.3 million unemployed who had a job just 20 months ago – this is a crisis.”

However the GGPC was unimpressed by his argument, saying that another super-spreader event could lead to increased lockdown restrictions, meaning the wider entertainment sector would also be affected.

“As doctors, we will continue to advocate against our patients attending large gatherings, be they music festivals, political rallies or parties.”

Ballito Rage is scheduled for November 30 to December 6 and the organisers are waiting on confirmation that the event can be held.

First published in the North