Eastern Cape is one of the provinces in South Africa that has not detected any COVID 19 virus to its 6.25 million people. According to health Spokesperson in that province, this is not because EC has drastic or strict measures to fight this disease that has already took lives of more that 12 000 people across the world, but because 83.6% of the people are locals and are rarely in contact with people from other provinces. However, the lack of testing resources, and the high prices of testing this deadly disease is also a contributing factor that withold people to come forward and test for COVID 19 virus.
MEASURES TO COUNTER THE VIRUS NOT TO ENTER THE PROVINCE
Bill Gates state that COVID 19 virus will hit Africa hard, had it manage to penetrate to the poor people. This statement was supported by health MEC Dr. Zweli Mkhize on his daily update about the virus that, the state must try by all means that this virus is not coming next to the poor as it will be difficult for them to have money and medicals to survive. In EC, 71.87% people are in rural areas and have no access to good quality health system but rather depend on public hospitals whom are unable to manage the capacity of other patients suffering from other diseases.
Eastern Cape like Gauteng and Western Cape is not more industrialized like the latter, which make people leave the province to look for greener pastures in other provinces. According to the study conducted by Rhodes University in 2015, over 1 million people from Eastern Cape are working either in KwaZulu Natal and Western Cape alone. This lead to thousands of people travelling from these provinces over Easter holidays to spend time with their families. The outcry is that these people leaving in these provinces that are already affected with COVID 19 can bring the COVID 19 back into the province unintentionally.
SOLUTION
- QUARANTINE ALL BORDERS AND AIRPORTS DURING EASTER WEEKENDS
One of the first measured the provincial government should do is to make sure that people are quarantined before entering the province in order to avoid the spread of the virus to the beautiful province. This can be done in a form of vaccination in all borders entering the province from Western Cape, [Graaf] Free State [Sperkspruit and Aliwal North] KwaZulu Natal [Kokstad] Gauteng [Kokstad]. This will not stop the virus to spread but it will minimise the risk by 46%. This is because there are people who might used small roads entering the province and avoid being tested and isolated. Same must applies to all our Airports from Port Elizabeth via East London to Umtata.
2. SELF ISOLATION
Even though Easter holiday is only a weekend, it will be a good idea to make sure that those people working from other provinces are safe and are also protecting their families are not just allowed to come closer to their families instantly, rather try to avoid a direct contact. This will also help ease the spread of the virus.
3. PROVISION OF FREE MUSKS TO EVERYONE
These musks must available from the borders of the so that people can just pass and take them home while driving. The use of these musks will help prevent those who are already affected by the virus but dont know their status not to spread the virus to family members that are living peacefully at homes.
4. SUBSIDIZING HANDS SANITIZERS
The increase in the use of hand sinitizers as preventative measures have cause an increase in the price at all stores across the country. We urge government to intervene and provide free sanitizers to poor people in rural towns as people use stores in numbers and became vulnerable to the virus.
In summary
If we say we love our province, there is no need to keep quit and watch the deadly disease come to the poor and destroy them. This is the right time to take drastic measures and protect what is ours. Our people, our heritage and our dignity. We were not born weak. Our elders and ancestors were the founders of science and cure. The overcome the 1936 deadly locasts called inkumbi with resources and technology that were here to destroy their plantation, they overcome the 1942 drought that was called isomiso that lasted for 8 months. Today, we have all the technology and resources to overcome all the diseases that are here to destroy the human race. NO COVID 19 VIRUS SHALL PROSPER.
Sinako Mxabo
