I believe I have been vindicated!
Weeks before the strict regulations were put in place, weeks before a lock down was announced by South Africa’s Commander-in-Chief, President Cyril Ramaphosa, I said that the Coronavirus was not a joke and many dared to ask who I was, and they actually had the nerve to go as far as asking if I was a holder of any medical qualification.
Well I am not, but statistics are there to tell, or rather prove that what I was saying was, and still is true.
Where are the doubting Thomasses now, where are they now as South Africa is being counted among many countries that has a high number of people that have tested positive and has lost lives (one is too many) to the dreaded virus? Fear and anxiety have gripped the globe as Corona continues to take its toll on human life, economies and society at large. The COVID-19 pandemic presents public health and economic threat to South Africa. South Africa is one of the countries that has the highest prevalence of opportunistic diseases (TB and HIV-Aids) and I believe that should people not follow the regulations that have been implemented due to Coronavirus, we are yet to see the damage.
The doubting ‘Thomases’ continue to roam our streets unnecessarily, they continue to do this without any form of protection (sanitation, masks, gloves etc), without any consideration for their fellow human beings, and this they do without fear.
I do not worry that much about them because I believe that the harm they are doing is only to themselves.
My deepest worry is about the psychological effects of the epidemic particularly on the poor, elderly, children and teens, and front-line healthcare workers.
Those in the know reveal that vulnerable populations, such as the elderly, are likely to experience higher levels of psychological distress due to the major threat that the outbreak poses to their own personal health. Another high distress category is the poor, those who rely on odd jobs to make a living, and staying at home means they cannot provide for themselves or their families. My worry is also about the levels of suffering bound to increase as more South Africans become infected, lose their income and are socially isolated. We should support the public health’s call of encouraging the public to stay at home to minimize the spread of Coronavirus,
Our schools have closed, our borders have closed, and our workplaces have closed indefinitely.
Do we need our beloved South Africa to also close down?
I dare you to tell me if I am still joking and look who is laughing, I told you that this was not a joke!
Lerato wa ha Serero…
(This is a weekly Editorial comment of Sedibeng Ster’s Editor, Lerato Serero)
