Government must focus on economic health

It was expected that the government would renew the coronavirus state of disaster – announced yesterday by Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Minister Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma.

An ominous line in the statement was that the extension “will allow government a progressive and responsible return to normal. It will help us put measures in place to avoid a second wave of infections.”

What sort of “measures” is the minister talking about? And where is the hard evidence for a “second wave” of infections when hospitalisations and deaths are trending downward? There has been a resurgence of the virus in a number of other countries as lockdown restrictions have been eased and, more importantly, citizens relaxed their guard.

That slack attitude is clearly in evidence in South Africa at present – as people party and gather in large groups without social distancing and the wearing of masks is only half-heartedly adhered to.

Spikes in the infection rate could, worryingly, see the government revert to the jackboot methods of the beginning of the crisis – with bans on cigarette and alcohol sales. We are responsible for our individual health but the government is responsible for ensuring the health of our economy and that it is not further weakened.

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