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By Editorial staff

Journalist


SA’s third wave exit is good news, but don’t go overboard

The good news this week was that in terms of the World Health Organisation’s guidelines, South Africa has just exited the devastating third wave of the Covid pandemic, with an infection rate which has gone below 5%.


The potential bad news is that, if we go back to level 1, yet continue to behave in our often reckless ways, we could find ourselves back under stricter lockdown for the festive season – which means it will be anything but a Merry Christmas… While we should continue to social distance, wear masks and sanitise, let’s also try to avoid the huge crowds and drunken misbehaviour which could lead to massive spikes in infections from such superspreader events. At the same time, though, let’s get out there and enjoy and explore our country, responsibly. Our tourism industry is in…

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The potential bad news is that, if we go back to level 1, yet continue to behave in our often reckless ways, we could find ourselves back under stricter lockdown for the festive season – which means it will be anything but a Merry Christmas…

While we should continue to social distance, wear masks and sanitise, let’s also try to avoid the huge crowds and drunken misbehaviour which could lead to massive spikes in infections from such superspreader events.

At the same time, though, let’s get out there and enjoy and explore our country, responsibly.

Our tourism industry is in dire need of our support, having lost more than 960 000 jobs (more than half its total workforce) and R164 billion in revenue because of Covid.

It’s a good time to travel (if you can afford it, that is) because we are unable to visit many places overseas
just yet (are you listening, Boris Johnson?).

And your rand will go a lot further here than it will in London…

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Columns covid-19 pandemic International Travel

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