Covid-19: How to protect your children through social distancing

Follow these tips on social distancing, as offered by Msawakhe Nyadi, deputy director: provincial and local liaison of Government Communication and Information Systems, to keep your children and family safe.

Protect your home, enforce social distancing for your children:

• Children should not have playdates or get-togethers with children from other households during the lockdown to limit the spread of the virus.
• If children are playing outside their own home, it is essential that they remain away from anyone who is not in their own household.
• Do not allow children to interact with others as this can potentially continue the chain of viral spread into the community. While children may be asymptomatic carriers, they can transmit Covid-19 to members of their family or anyone else they have had contact with. This can put parents and others at home at risk, especially those with pre-existing medical conditions.

ALSO READ: Coronavirus (COVID-19): Social distancing, self-isolation and quarantine explained

Social distancing means keeping a safe distance between yourself and other people:

• Families must put distance between themselves and others in their community to help prevent the spread of Covid-19.
• Through social distancing, we can slow the spread of Covid-19, especially to those who are at higher risk of illness.
• The best and most effective way to practice social distancing is to stay at home and do not receive visitors.
• Do not go to social spaces and avoid large groups of people that are in one place.
• When going out to purchase food and essential items, ensure a space of 1.5 metres between you and the next person.

Play your part by following the social distancing rules:

• As part of social distancing, citizens are not allowed to jog or walk their dogs during the 21-day lockdown period.
• These regulations also apply to people living within estates and complexes.
• All estate and complex managers are encouraged to assist in ensuring that these regulations are enforced.
• The fundamental purpose of lockdown is to drastically reduce the movement of people in order to prevent the spread of the Covid-19 virus.

* Notice: Coronavirus reporting at Caxton Local Media aims to combat fake news

Dear reader,

As your local news provider, we have the duty of keeping you factually informed on Covid-19 developments. As you may have noticed, mis- and disinformation (also known as “fake news”) is circulating online. Caxton Local Media is determined to filter through the masses of information doing the rounds and to separate truth from untruth in order to keep you adequately informed. Local newsrooms follow a strict pre-publication fact-checking protocol. A national task team has been established to assist in bringing you credible news reports on Covid-19.

Readers with any comments or queries may contact National Group Editor Irma Green (irma@caxton.co.za) or Legal Adviser Helene Eloff (helene@caxton.co.za).