SA moved to level 2 - restaurants, bars, gyms hit hardest
President Cyril Ramaphosa has placed the country under lockdown level 2 amid the spike in Covid-19 infections over the past month.
In the last 7 days, the country has registered an average of 3 745 daily new infections.
This is an increase of 31% on the previous week and an increase of 66% on the week before that.
The Free State, Northern Cape, North West and Gauteng have reached the threshold of a third wave of infections.
On Sunday evening, Ramaphosa addressed the nation on the latest changes to regulations in a bid to slow the runaway infections.
“According to our health experts, the recent surge in new infections is due to the increasing number of social gatherings where people are not observing essential health protocols,” he said.
“We have not been as vigilant about wearing our masks all the time, we have not been avoiding crowded places, and we have been socialising more. As a result, infections are surging again.
“The increase in daily cases is following the same trajectory as it did at the start of the previous two waves. We have seen in other countries the tragic consequences of allowing the virus to spread unchecked,” Ramaphosa warned.
Following several meetings in the past few days, the Ministerial Advisory Committee on Covid-19 recommended that the country urgently implement further restrictions.
The changes take effect on Monday.
“This means that the hours of curfew will start at 11pm and end at 4am, non-essential establishments like restaurants, bars and fitness centres will need to close by 10pm,” said Ramaphosa.
“All gatherings will be limited to a maximum of 100 people indoors and 250 people outdoors.
“Where the venue is too small to accommodate these numbers with appropriate social distancing, then no more than 50 per cent of the capacity of the venue may be used. This includes religious services, political events and social gatherings, as well as restaurants, bars, taverns and similar places,” he added.
Funeral attendance is capped at 100 mourners, while night vigils remain banned.
“According to the scientists that advise government, the severity of this third wave will largely be determined by the amount of contact each of us has with other people.”
While the travel bans were kept at bay, Ramaphosa urged the country to exercise some caution when travelling.
“If each of us makes this effort now, we will help to flatten the curve of infections.
“We will reduce the pressure on our hospitals, and, in doing so, we will save many lives.”
