Count Me In – a call to beat COVID-19 in South Africa

Some of South Africa’s most prominent media personalities have come together, appealing to South Africans to play their part in curbing the spread of the coronavirus.

“We Can Beat COVID-19, Count Me In” is a campaign, which sees celebrities like Somizi Mhlongo, Sho Madjozi and Connie Ferguson reiterating the call for the public to stay at home during the three-week national lockdown.

South Africa recorded its first COVID-19 case in early March, and the number of confirmed cases has since risen to more than 1 300.

The lockdown, which started on March 26 and is set to end on 16 April 2020, has seen government putting together stringent measures to help contain the spread of COVID-19 through social distancing.

The campaign also sees media personalities outlining some of the measures, which include:

• Staying at home during the lockdown
• Only essential services employees going to work
• Only leaving home to seek medical care or purchase groceries or medicine
• Keeping fit and healthy by exercising at home
• Adhering to social distancing measures (keeping a metre distance from others), and
• Washing one’s hands regularly and thoroughly with soap and water.

President Cyril Ramaphosa has since stated that one of the most effective measures in containing the coronavirus spread is making sure that citizens have very limited interaction as the virus is highly contagious.

In the video below, some celebrities urge South Africans to stay at home:

Wuhan evacuees a good example of the effectiveness of a lockdown

On Sunday, President Ramaphosa met with the 114 South Africans who were evacuated from Wuhan in China two weeks ago.

They were placed in quarantine and have been sent home back to their families as they all tested negative for COVID-19 and are in good health.

Ramaphosa says the experience of the South Africans in Wuhan demonstrates the effectiveness and the necessity of a state lockdown.

“It was due to the drastic actions that the Chinese government took to contain the disease in the city of Wuhan, that all of our people were able to return uninfected and healthy.”

“The containment of the disease in Wuhan City, in Hubei Province and in other places across China required a massive and extraordinary effort,” says Ramaphosa.

In the video below, Ramaphosa hails the South African repatriates:

Citizens find ways to keep busy during national lockdown

In adhering to the call to stay at home, South Africans have found various ways of keeping themselves busy during the lockdown.

While others are spending time with their families, others say it is business as usual as they are working from their homes.

I’m doing fine. Nice bond with my 5 month baby girl and my lovely wife. #SABCNewsCitizens

— cliffmas2 (@cliffmas2) March 27, 2020

Day 2 of the lockdown life #SABCNewsCitizens pic.twitter.com/O3y852L7UI

— BongiMogale (@Bongi43) March 28, 2020

#SABCNewsCitizens
I am getting used to being at home however the internet makes it hard to work. Everyone now and then my System kicks me out. I say let’s stay strong lovely South African. We can do this. Let’s help everyone around. #Day6OfLockdown

— Mpilo_Gugu (@mpilo_gugu) April 1, 2020