Covid-19 fights must save lives as well as livelihoods

The coronavirus debate in South Africa should not be allowed to degenerate into “lives versus the economy, but lives versus lives”.

This is the view of a leading economist, Mike Schussler, and University of Stellenbosch health expert Dr Kerrin Begg, who on Tuesday maintained that saving lives and the economy were inseparable.

Their comments on the pandemic crisis follow the decision by the German government to cautiously lift lockdown restrictions – paving the way for the reopening of key sectors of the economy.

Despite reeling from close to 400,000 reported Covid-19 cases and over 4,000 deaths, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and state premiers have announced the reopening of the economy, with 16 states expected to remove lockdown prohibitions as they see fit.

With over 3,000 Covid-19 cases and close to 60 deaths, South Africa is 10 days away from completing a month under lockdown.

Welcoming the German decision, Schussler said Germany has followed what most European countries have done, with the exception of Italy and Spain where non-essential production was closed.

“While adhering to a strict social distancing and hygiene, European countries never closed production. More countries are likely to follow the German trend because opening up the economy is the route to take.

“With sluggish economies and high unemployment figures, African countries cannot afford to close their economies because of Covid-19. This debate is not about lives versus the economy, but lives versus lives.

“Under lockdown, other diseases like tuberculosis and stunting will get worse and more people will die,” said Schussler.

South Africa under the coronavirus lockdown, would experience more economic and social woes.

Schussler explained: “More blue-collar workers will lose their jobs. These include waiters, cashiers, factory workers, contract cleaners, hotel staff and hair-dressers. White collar and professionals will not lose quite as much jobs.

“Civil servants, bankers, lawyers, accountants and journalists, can all work digitally.”

Schussler said the impact of the lockdown on government’s budget deficit and debt level was set to soar to 6.8% of the gross domestic product, with revenue shortfalls of 4.8%, amounting to R148 billion.

Concurring with Schussler, Begg said lives were “just as important as the economy”.

She said: “A lockdown is a measure to buy time and one month is a fairly long time. The economy and health of the South African population are matters that are interlinked. Restrictions on people’s movement also give rise to other health conditions like depression and anxiety.

“South Africa is left with no choice but to lift the stringent lockdown and come up with measures like a staggered return to work for people, shift work, social distancing and sticking to hygiene. For the country to succeed in dealing with this challenge, community engagement and deployment of government officials on the ground is going to be crucial.

“Community mobilisation will go a long way in addressing stigma, as seen in the fight against Ebola in Sierra Leone.”

Germany, said Begg, was “further down the line, compared to South Africa”.

“While South Africa dealt with the second wave of the epidemic due to contact with people who had traveled overseas, Germany was dealing with community transmissions, which we are currently facing,” said Begg.

brians@citizen.co.za

For more news your way, download The Citizen’s app for iOS and Android.