President Cyril Ramaphosa have said that a second wave of Covid-19 infections and the reversal of regulatory relaxations might return if proper health precautions are not followed.
He made this known in his weekly newsletter published on Monday, 17 August 2020, hours before the country moves to level 2 of the lockdown.
The president said the focus should be on recovery from the pandemic.
“Although many restrictions have been lifted, it does not mean they will not return should we experience a significant rise in infections. This pandemic is a matter of life and death. We need to adapt and we need to be vigilant”, he said.
“Our economy and our society has suffered a great deal. As we return to economic activity across almost all industries – and work to repair the damage done – we have a responsibility to not let our guard down as individuals, employers, communities, families, professionals, workers and citizens”
Ramaphosa announced on Saturday, 15 August 2020, that the country would move to Level 2 of the lockdown on Monday midnight.
Almost all economic activities including the selling of liquor and tobacco are set to resume.
Ramaphosa, described the decline in cases as a sign of hope for the country.
However, he said the lockdown lift means there is an increased risk of transmission but healthy and safety precautions could curb this.
“We now need to manage this risk and ensure the gains we have made thus far in containing the pandemic’s spread are not reversed. The greatest threat to the health of nation right now is complacency”.
