Covid-19 measures need positive response

The negativity regarding measures being put in place to combat the coronavirus has completely floored me.

I hear and see comments such as: ‘they are crippling our country’, ‘they are picking on restaurants and pubs’, and ‘they are not thinking about businesses and working people’.

But they ARE thinking about all of those things!

If you continue as normal, the virus will spread ....

We can stop the virus by stopping our normal activities for a few weeks.

Yes, we will all feel the financial impact, both positive and negative.

Businesses will experience huge financial losses, but the average man might actually have a little more, because there is no retail therapy and there is no wasting money in pubs and taverns and unnecessary spending in restaurants.

What used to be a treat

- a night out - seems to have become the norm and spending time with your family at home, having a dinner around the table is now something new, like washing hands seems to be.

Stop, just stop. If you think you are OK and should be allowed to do what you want when you want; think of the person you might infect, those that might not survive this virus.

We all have a role to play and if we actually start doing as we are told, stay indoors or at least on your property as much as is possible, keep the elderly and people with weak immune systems quarantined, then it might be over sooner. But continue with this ‘I won’t be affected’ attitude and this will get worse.

So, invest in Netflix, make some popcorn, dust off the old recipe books, start listening to your favourite music again... and breathe.

You have been given a chance to enjoy your family again, read a book, and go to bed early.

We have all been given an opportunity to reflect on our lives and appreciate what is actually important, our health and our families.

Concentrate on that and love yourself first. That way you can take care of your family.

JACKIE SMIT