Rarely global citizens, and South Africans in particular, are brought together by a common threat as compelling as is presently experienced. Least of all when the enemy is an air-borne virus that escapes the blind eye and can send scores of people into a frenzy with fear of the unknown.
Against the background of 116 South African infections, close to 8 000 deaths in countries across the world and a nigh apocalyptic setting devoid of usual human activity in some places, the nation can’t be blamed for panicking.
Even before the arrival of the Wuhan 114 at Polokwane International Airport on Saturday and Monday’s official announcement of the onset of the Coronavirus in Limpopo with a local doctor being the first recorded case after travels to Europe, there was panic in the face of adversity. An individual suspecting possible infection by the deadly virus shared the emotional experience of having to be tested in the driver’s seat of her car by medical officials who approached in hazardous material suits outside a laboratory in Polokwane on the weekend.
The day after the President’s announcement of a state of disaster late on Sunday, the shelves of some supermarkets in Polokwane were stripped of wet and dry goods as consumers rushed out to secure stocks of especially fresh produce, frozen foods, bread, flour and toilet paper. From discussions with suppliers it was established that disposable masks had been out of stock since the beginning of the year just after the initial detection of the current Covid-19 wave on 31 December 2019, while surgical gloves and hand sanitizers have flown off the shelves since the first case got recorded in South Africa.
The sight of cashiers sanitising in shops, customers choosing to utilise available disinfectant and the people of Polokwane covering up with masks ever since is not novel any longer, neither is distancing when greeting. Concepts like isolation, quarantine and self-evacuation have become the norm amid precautions being taken to voluntary testing of body temperature of employees of companies in the city.
In terms of the government’s announcement of the state of disaster gatherings of larger than 100 people are barred, which determined the hosting of the likes of this year’s respective Easter pilgrimages to Moria, Tour de Limpopo, the Ebenezer Mile, the fundraiser golf day of BB Group/Rotary Club of Pietersburg 100 and Mall of the North marathon, which is a Comrades qualifier and in some instances would negatively impact on the performance of athletes not making it to the national meet, as well as participation in the annual Tourism Indaba by local tourism products and services. Representatives of religious formations are expected to be meeting with the national government today (Thursday) to discuss decisions bearing a result on services.
In the meantime one after the other smaller gatherings like municipal Integrated Development Programme (IDP) Representative Forum and council meetings have been suspended. Whether the option of using technology at the disposal of municipal officials and public representatives stands to be tested.
In the interim fake news and conspiracy theories threaten to outshine the scores of updates which world citizens are being bombarded with, among others exposing the devious acts of opportunist thugs attempting to cash in on a disconcerting situation.
No matter the jargon or the terminology used for a virus and its means of transmission, the magnitude and level of contagion remain disturbing. For how long the case of the positive as opposed to the negative result will rage on, no one knows.
Story: Editorial team
