We live in a time where things we would normally not bother much about are the keys to our survival. Coronavirus (COVID-19) continues to spread, threatening vulnerable lives, and to play our part in raising awareness, we’ve drummed up these tips on how to stay safe and avoid infection.
Latest coronavirus statistics for South Africa
South Africa is still seeing a spike in infections and a steadying pattern in deaths resulting from COVID-19. The country’s biggest metros, Gauteng, Western Cape and KwaZulu-Natal (KZN), share the largest portion of the country’s infections (83.3%) and on Sunday, two more deaths were recorded.
“Today we regrettably report two new COVID-19 related deaths. Similar to yesterday [Saturday], these are from KwaZulu-Natal and the Western Cape. This brings the total death toll to 54 today.
“We convey our condolences to the families and also appreciate the committed health workers who were treating the deceased patients,” Health Minister, Dr Zweli Mkhize, said on Sunday.
Based on Sunday’s figures, these are the latest COVID-19 statistics:
- Tests conducted: 114 711
- Infections: 3 158
- Recoveries: 903
- Deaths: 54
Living in a reality like this makes grocery shopping and running errands a nightmare when you consider how easily transmissible the virus is.
A simple subconscious movement of your hand to rub your eyes, nose or mouth could place you at risk if you were out on a store or errand run and came into contact with surfaces.
Here are some tips on how to stay safe during store runs
The importance of social distancing and practising extreme safety precautions when you’re outside can not be understated. Therefore, we have come up with these coronavirus tips to avoid getting infected.
- Only go outside when you absolutely have to
- Always wear a face mask when you leave the house
- Where possible, try not to use your hands (greetings, accessing lifts, opening doors etc.)
- Stay at least six feet (1.8 metres) away from everyone and anyone you encounter and strictly avoid contact for whatever reason
- When you return home, wash your hands for at least 20 seconds with soap before you interact with anyone or anything. If you have hand sanitizer, use it afterwards as an added protective measure to ensure that no germs remain.
- Wipe every item you had on your person clean with a cloth.
