Health department urges businesses to limit customer numbers

KZN Health MEC Nomagugu Simelane-Zulu has urged the business community, particularly those in the food and entertainment sector, to abide by level 1 lockdown regulations in order to curb the spread of Covid- 19.

Speaking on the department’s online multi-media programme LunchtimeChat.Gov recently, Simelane-Zulu warned that if measures to curb the spread of the virus are not adhered to, this could trigger a return to lockdown level 5, dealing a further major blow to jobs and the economy.

In terms of alert level 1 lockdown regulations, gatherings at social events are limited to 250 people or less in case of an indoor gathering, and 500 persons or less in case of an outdoor gathering. This is provided that no more than 50 per cent of the capacity of the venue is used, with people observing a distance of least one and a half metres from each other.

“We’re pleading with owners of establishments that people go to in order to have a ‘good time’, to enforce these regulations, because if we don’t take them seriously, it could mean that in a few months’ time, we could return to lockdown level 5. Then, we will not be able to go out because our infections will be growing.

“I wish to emphasise that there are a number of countries in the world that were hit by a second wave of the virus. In China, for instance, there was a time when they went for 30 days without registering a single infection. And then suddenly, they registered 2000 cases in one day. In France, they recently had the highest number of infections that they have had in a very long time, 7000 infections in one day.

“We really do not want this second wave of Covid-19 to come back, because we don’t really know how strong it is. Stopping the second wave really is in our hands. We can make a huge difference by conducting ourselves properly, in a way that prevents the spread of the virus,” said MEC Simelane-Zulu.  

FOR YOUR INFORMATION

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. For any comments or queries, contact the National Group Editor, Irma Green at irma@caxton.co.za or the Legal Adviser, Helene Eloff at  helene@caxton.co.za.

DID YOU KNOW? Click on the words highlighted in red to read more on this and related topics. To receive news links via WhatsApp or Telegram, send an invite to 061 876 3179 The Southlands Sun is also on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest – why not join us there?

Do you have more information pertaining to this story? Feel free to let us know by commenting on our Facebook page or you can contact our newsroom on 031 903 2341 and speak to a journalist.