President Cyril Ramaphosa has announced that South Africa’s COVID-19 alert level will be lowered from level 4 to level 3 in certain parts of the country by the end of May. Easing the lockdown must be done with extreme caution to prevent spikes in COVID-19 infections, and the government’s approach will allow economic activity to resume while protecting public health, it said.
Areas with high COVID-19 infection rates will remain on level 4 at the end of the month to stop the spread of the virus, said Ramaphosa. The 5-level alert system was introduced by Ramaphosa in April as a way to dynamically manage the level of restrictions. The alert levels are adjusted upwards or downwards based on the rate of transmission and the capacity of the health system to help people who need care. The government went on to provide the map below of the current prevalence of COVID-19 cases across the country.
It shows that areas around Cape Town, Durban, and Johannesburg have more than 10 positive COVID-19 cases per 100,000 people – placing them in the high prevalence bracket. More details on which parts of the country will be moved to level 3 will be detailed after further consultations, said Ramaphosa.
“We will immediately begin a process of consultation with relevant stakeholders on a proposal that by the end of May, most of the country be placed on alert level 3, but that those parts of the country with the highest rates of infection remain on level 4.
5 levels Ramaphosa gave basic guidelines about the 5 alert levels when they were announced: Level 1 means that most normal activity can resume, with precautions and health guidelines followed at all times.
Level 2 involves the further easing of restrictions, but the maintenance of physical distancing and restrictions on some leisure and social activities to prevent a resurgence of the virus. Level 3 involves the easing of some restrictions, including on work and social activities, to address a high risk of transmission. Level 4 means that some activity can be allowed to resume subject to extreme precautions required to limit community transmission and outbreaks. Level 5 means that drastic measures are required to contain the spread of the virus to save lives.
The image below provides an overview of the 5 levels. Call to open up the economy The announcement from Ramaphosa follows a call from many people and businesses for the economy to be opened. Business for South Africa CEO Cas Coovadia said a mindset change is needed by the government to open the economy and allow it to grow.
Instead of begrudgingly opening of the economy with a long list of prescribed goods, the government should open the economy with a shortlist of exclusions. He said it is now accepted that a spike in COVID-19 infections will happen irrespective of whether South Africa remains under lockdown or not.
So instead of hurting the economy through an extended lockdown, he suggested allowing businesses to operate with a set of conditions to ensure safe operations.
Economist Dawie Roodt said the effects of the lockdown and the continued closure of certain industries could be more devastating to human life than the virus itself.
“I believe that more people are going to die because of an increase in poverty than people that can potentially die from this virus,” Roodt stated. Allan Gray CIO Andrew Lapping said even with the lockdown it is not possible to stop the spread of the virus.
He said the spread will continue for the next few months until it hits a peak. This gives the government a choice:They can let the same number of people die from COVID-19 and destroy the economy.
“We are urging the government to look at the big picture and see just how many lives are lost through poverty and hardship which is caused by the lockdown,” he said.
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Source: mybroadband