Learn to live with virus – no excuses

Given what has happened on a number of occasions in the past, many people are understandably nervous about what Cyril Ramaphosa might say in his fireside chat with the nation next week.

It is clear that the coronavirus pandemic is far from being a thing of the past in South Africa, with upwards of 1 500 new infections and more than 50 deaths being reported daily. Yet, looking around our cities, our suburbs, our townships, it is difficult to see there is a problem at all.

There is little social distancing and mask-wearing is now considered by many citizens to be entirely optional. That laid-back, couldn’t-care-less attitude may be just what the government could use as an excuse to roll us back into stricter lockdown levels. That would, of course, be disastrous for the economy, which has already taken a battering and is struggling to its feet.

Experts also believe lockdowns, as a mechanism, are not necessary at this stage … and possibly effective only in delaying infection spikes. We are just going to have to learn to live with the virus – and the disruption it brings to our lives – for the foreseeable future.

It is to be hoped Ramaphosa understands that.

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