Let’s take care in this virus ‘storm’

We are nearing the peak period for Covid-19 infections, as warned by health experts when the pandemic first hit our country, let’s take care of ourselves.

On Wednesday, health minister Zweli Mkhize said the country was experiencing a surge in coronavirus infections.

“The storm that we have consistently warned South Africans about is now arriving. We are now at a point where it’s our fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters, close friends and comrades that are infected,” Mkhize said.

Most of the daily newspapers yesterday led with chilling pictures of open graves being prepared for Covid-19 mass burials. They were taken in Tshwane when Gauteng health MEC Bandile Masuku and forensic pathology personnel visited the site.

SA had 225,000 coronavirus confirmed cases, 107,000 recoveries and just over 3,000 deaths on Wednesday.

There were also reports that airborne transmission of Covid-19 were true, said University of the Witwatersrand Professor Shabir Madhi.

He said there was evidence and “that is a cause for concern that we might have underestimated the role of airborne transmission of Covid-19”.

Sadly, as these are reported there are still people not adhering to guidelines aimed at containing the virus. People are not social distancing as they take pictures with their friends while attending funerals of their relatives across the country, some are not wearing masks to protect themselves in public spaces.

Children are still seen playing in the streets and inside complexes in certain areas and they are not wearing any masks or sanitising their hands.

As we approach the “storm” it is inevitable that more people will die, but that does not mean we should be reckless. We have to take precautions to protect ourselves and loved ones.

Wear a mask in public, wash hands regularly and keep a social distance when in public spaces. Let us stay at home and keep children indoors, unless we have to go to work and school.

Nobody is safe, people are dying daily and more are still going to perish, all we can do is to adhere to the measures put in place to contain the spread of the virus.

Stay at home, be safe.