A year of Covid-19

A year of Covid-19

Writer De Waal Steyn

This week, on Thursday 11 March, we will mark one year since the first Covid-19 case was reported in the Western Cape and as the warm summer days make way for cooler autumn weather, many of us are taking stock of the past year and the battles we were faced with.

In those early days we did not know much about the virus, but we knew from what we saw in other parts of the world that changes were in store for us. Little did we know how irrevocable these changes would be and what devastation the pandemic would wreak on the fabric of our society. If you somehow survived the year completely unscathed, you are one of the very few lucky ones.

And while we ready ourselves for the coming long-weekends and the Easter holidays we must, at the same time, be aware that scientists are already warning of a third wave of the pandemic.

Western Cape Premier Alan Winde said last week that while the data currently shows that we have overcome a significant and serious second wave, our work is not done. “We must prepare ourselves for a third wave, to save lives and limit the impact of Covid-19 on the livelihoods of our residents.”

But unlike a year ago, when a hard lockdown to give the country time to prepare its health services was the only option, this year the preparations for a third wave include the roll-out of current stock of vaccines, and the procurement of more vaccines by the Western Cape Government.

Click on the newspaper below to read more (see page 1-2).