'Significant shift in approach to the pandemic' as SA moves to level 3

SA will shift to alert level 3 on June 1, marking “a significant shift in our approach to the pandemic”.

President Cyril Ramaphosa announced the latest development on Sunday night, saying it would “result in the opening up of the economy and the removal of a number of restrictions on the movement of people, while significantly expanding and intensifying our public health interventions”.

“Even as we move to alert level 3 it is important that we should be aware that there are a few parts of the country where the disease is concentrated and where infections continue to rise.

“We will have a differentiated approach to deal with those areas that have far higher levels of infection and transmission,” Ramaphosa said, adding several areas had been identified as Covid-19 hotspots including Nelson Mandela Bay.

“The list of hotspot areas will be reviewed every two weeks depending on the progression of the virus.

“In dealing with the virus in these areas we will implement intensive interventions aimed at decreasing the number of new infections,” Ramaphosa said.

“We are putting in place enhanced measures of surveillance, infection control and management.

We will assign a full-time team of experienced personnel to each hotspot.”

Ramaphosa said teams would include epidemiologists, family practitioners, nurses, community health workers, public health experts and emergency medical services, to be supported by Cuban experts.

“We will link each hotspot to testing services, isolation facilities, quarantine facilities, treatment, hospital beds and contact tracing.

“Should it be necessary, any part of the country could be returned to alert levels 4 or 5 if the spread of infection is not contained despite our interventions and there is a risk of our health facilities being overwhelmed,” Ramaphosa said.

“In time, however, through our efforts, it will be possible to place areas where infections are low on levels 2 or 1.”

Ramaphosa said the implementation of alert level 3 would involve the return to operation of most sectors of the economy, subject to observance of strict health protocols and social distancing rules.

Listen to the full address here: