Will SA’s lockdown laws change this week? Government expert weighs-in

While South Africa remains on standby for a national address from Cyril Ramaphosa in the coming days, speculation is mounting about what direction our lockdown laws may head towards. Earlier this week, it was reported that the president may consider reintroducing some stricter rules, amid an uptick in COVID-19 cases across the country.

Professor Karim on potential lockdown changes

The Eastern Cape has recently seen cases soar, whereas the Western Cape is also monitoring an increase in infections. Ramaphosa acted early back in March, shutting down the country before a coronavirus death had been reported in SA. It remains to be seen just how far any potential lockdown alterations could go – but perhaps it won’t be as bad as some fear.

Professor Salim Abdool Karim, a leading advisor to the government on coronavirus, has shared his take on the current situation. Appearing on Jacaranda FM’s breakfast show earlier on Wednesday, Karim assessed the likelihood of changes to the lockdown laws: Although he’s optimistic about the next few weeks, the professor is fearful of a ‘December spike’:

“We are in a good position. We don’t need to change anything in my view – not yet, anyway. When December comes, we may get a problem. This virus loves movement, and people move around in this month. People are also getting complacent with COVID. That’s what worries me, there will be parties in December – it carries quite a lot of risk.”

“We hope that we can get through December with just a quick spike, if people remain vigilant and follow the rules. If we fail to do this, then we’re looking at a second surge of the virus. The restrictions we have in place are good, but what we need is better enforcement – and people must continue to take this global pandemic seriously.”

Professor Salim Abdool Karim

‘No need for concern at this point’

Despite the cautious warning, Professor Karim remains relatively optimistic about South Africa’s path out of lockdown. He’s not unduly worried by outbreaks reported in different parts of the country, and expressed faith in the local measures that will help prevent the virus from spreading to other potential ‘transmission hot-spots’.

“There’s no need for concern at this point. Our numbers have been steady, with occasional up and downs. Our seven-day averages show just how steady we have been going. We do, however, have some outbreaks. The numbers have been going up in the Eastern Cape, and they’ve had to reopen one of their field hospitals.”

“But even there, it seems like the tide has turned in the province this week. We cannot panic when there is an outbreak. We must simply implement our measures to control it at a local level.”

Professor Salim Abdool Karim