Hats off to hundreds of health workers for saving lives
With SA now among the five countries worst affected by the Covid-19 pandemic, it is understandable that much focus has been placed on the number of infections and fatalities.The pandemic has brought healthcare systems and economies around the world to the brink. But despite the well documented devastation, there have been some people who have refused to believe the coronavirus is nothing but a sham.
This, together with mismanagement of the outbreak by authorities and widespread disregard by citizens for protocols meant to contain its spread, has led to an exponential rise in the number of infections.
By Tuesday there were 373,628 confirmed cases in SA, 5,173 deaths, and 194,865 recoveries. Of that, the Eastern Cape accounted for 65,316 cases, 871 fatalities and 44,807 recoveries.
Had health workers not worked around the clock, sometimes under appalling conditions, many more people would have succumbed to the coronavirus.
Doctors, nurses, paramedics, community health workers and other front-line workers have worked tirelessly since the first case was confirmed at the beginning of March in SA — with some unfortunately losing their lives.
It is not a case of thanking fish for swimming but giving credit where it is due as most health workers have gone above and beyond the call of duty.
Unfortunately, the war against this vicious, invisible enemy is far from over as scientists are still searching for the desperately-needed vaccine, although there are reports of promising vaccine tests in the UK.
And until everyone plays their part, health workers will be relied on to nurse thousands more back to full health. This is why everyone has to adhere to the national lockdown regulations by staying at home if possible, maintain social distancing, constant washing of hands with alcohol-based hand sanitisers or soap and water, wearing masks in public and keeping surfaces sanitised.
That way we will be able to ensure that health workers also have the option to do what some people have dismally failed to do: stay at home with their loved ones instead of landing up in coffins.
This is only possible when everyone plays their part. Until we get that right, the least we can do for now is take our hats off for the dedicated health workers who are so valiantly fighting this pandemic.
Had health workers not worked around the clockmany more people would have succumbed to the coronavirus