CAPE TOWN - With the Easter weekend approaching, the South African Medical Association (Sama) is calling for the curfew to be changed to start at 9pm instead of midnight.
Curfew across the country is currently from midnight until 4am. Apart from permitted workers, no person may be outside their place of residence during this time.
Sama’s call comes amid warnings by health experts that the country is likely to face the third wave in the aftermath of Easter celebrations and relaxed lockdown regulations.
“We’re concerned about the possible third wave that is going to come after the Easter weekend or maybe earlier in the winter months following the Easter weekend,” says Sama chairperson Dr Angelique Coetzee.
“What we think might help is if we change the curfew to 9pm, to make sure people are in their homes, that would also lessen the accidents we normally have over Easter weekend.
“That is more prudent – anything else will not make a difference because we are always saying that lockdown is there because there’s a strain on the health-care system and currently there’s no strain in the health-care system.”
Coetzee also believes that those travelling long distances pose a higher risk.
“We are more concerned with the travelling impact and the loss of lives that you see, as well, during the Easter weekends, than closing down the churches. We’re not saying they’re not a problem, but travelling is a bigger problem
According to media reports, the Ministerial Advisory Committee has recommended to government that South Africa be put into a higher level of lockdown over the Easter weekend to prevent a surge in Covid-19 infections.
Tighter lockdown could see wider curfew hours, restrictions on gatherings, and limited sale of alcohol.
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