Mr President, be aware of 4th, 5th, 6th wave of Covid-19 on horizon

PRESIDENT Cyril Ramaphosa, you announced our regression into a revised alert level 4 of the lockdown, necessitated by the increased rate of infections of Covid-19 countrywide.

I believe it is imperative that, while our focus is on the immediacy of the crisis, we cannot remain averse to the fact that this pandemic is far from over.

The historical peaks and troughs of the virus over the past 15 months is indicative of the fact that the cat-andmouse game we are embroiled in will not end in the near future.

Despite efforts by the authorities to mitigate against the spread of infections, the reality is that the mutative properties of a virus, especially Covid19, means that this contagion is going to be around for a while yet.

Vaccinations, touted as a panacea, will only be realised for its worthiness many months from now and any reliance on them for efficacy cannot be taken for granted.

Containment is our only salvation currently, and non-medical intervention is paramount. That is in the hands of the people, many of whom are rather blasé about the seriousness of what confronts us.

Being social creatures, and the migratory nature of people, means that it will be a Herculean task to even contemplate some form of herd immunity as evidenced by the attitude of many people who believe in their invincibility against this virus. But my concern relates to the days ahead, notwithstanding the present moment.

The potential for the Covid-19 virus to further mutate into an even more virulent and infectious form is a real possibility. This means that while we are experiencing the “third wave”, we must be acutely aware that further waves are still looming on the horizon. We let down our guard in the moments when there is a lull, only to be jolted back to reality with devastating consequences.

My correspondence to you (Ramaphosa) dated April 26, drew your attention to the devastation that was occurring in India and that it was a forewarning for South Africa to be forearmed, as it was bound to happen here too. I think I was vindicated in what I asserted then.

The enormous pressures on our failing health-care system, health-care workers, the economy and life, mean that we have to think out-of-the box.

The real possibility of a fourth, fifth or sixth wave and even more beyond that cannot be ruled out – and if we do not prepare adequately, we may be found to be wanting when it matters.

So while we navigate these troubled times, let us not for a moment forget that the days ahead could well be fraught with even graver moments and we must have the courage and vision to look ahead and prepare timeously and adequately – only so that valuable lives are not lost to an invisible enemy wreaking havoc all over the world and in our country.