South Africa President Cyril Ramaphosa has imposed a 21-day total lockdown on the 56 million inhabitants of South Africa, telling them in an address that the unprecedented and sweeping measures were necessary to avoid a “catastrophe of huge proportions”.
The lockdown will come into effect on Thursday night and be enforced by the police and the army, the president told the nation on Monday.
Here is the summary:
President’s Address Notes
- Reiterate that most effective way to help infection is to change basic behaviours.
- Staying home, cancelling gatherings and avoiding people help curb the spread of the virus.
- Immediate swift and extraordinary action is required.
- Fundamental task is to curb the spread. Health services cannot be strained.
- Next few days are crucial.
- Decided to enforce lockdown from Midnight 26 March 2020.
- Will last 21 Days to 16 April
Categories exempted: - Health workers
- Emergency personnel
- Security services
- Production and distribution
- Essential banking services
- Power
- Laboratory services
- Hygiene services
- People will not be allowed to move unless buying food and medical supplies.
- JSE not affected. Trading continues.
- Malls and clothing stores to be closed.
- Those who can operate remotely must do so.
- Defense force deployed to help police.
- Public health management programme to perform screening. Initial focus on high density and high risk areas.
- Centralised treatment for sever cases.
- Decentralised treatment for mild cases.
- Resident arriving from high risk countries will face quarantine of 14 days.
- International flights from Lanseria suspended.
- International travellers will be turned away.