For those fortunate enough to have an elderly parent or grandparent still alive, not being able to spend time with them has been one of the most difficult parts of the lockdown.

1. Dear FellowSouthAfrican,
For those fortunate enoughtohave anelderlyparentorgrandparentstill alive,notbeingable to
spendtime withthemhasbeenone of the mostdifficultpartsof the lockdown.
For millionsof seniorcitizens,social activitieslike meetingfriendsandfamilyandattending
religiousservicesand stokvelandburial societymeetingsare the mainstayof theirlives.
Because of social distancingregulations,mostof these activitieshave beencurtailed,potentially
leavingthemfeelingsociallyisolatedandlonely.Andleavingtheirlovedonesanxiousfortheir
wellbeing.
The realityhoweveristhatinkeepingourdistance fromourelderlyparentsandgrandparentsat
thistime we couldbe savingtheirlives.
Coronaviruscaninfectanyone,butolderpeopleare amongthose at highestriskof getting
severelyill andpossiblydying.Sadly,there have beenanumberof coronavirusoutbreaksatold
age homesandcare centres,resultinginanumberof deaths.
In addition,datareleasedbythe Departmentof Healthindicatesthatpeople withunderlying
medical conditionssuchashighbloodpressure,diabetes,heartdisease,renal disease,asthmaand
chronicrespiratorydisease are more vulnerabletodevelopingsevere complicationsanddying
fromcoronavirus.
Accordingto newresearchpublishedbythe National InstituteforCommunicable Diseases,athird
of patientsadmittedtohospital withCOVID-19hadat leastone co-morbidity.

2. Thisis a significantconcerninacountry suchas ours that alsohas highprevalence of HIV and
tuberculosis,the leadingcause of natural deathsinSouthAfricalastyear.
Additionally,more than4.5 millionSouthAfricanshave diabetes,afigure thathasdoubledsince
2017. Inthe WesternCape alone,diabetesisaco-morbidityinoverhalf of all COVID-19deaths.
In a numberof our provinces,includingGautengandWesternCape,testingisbeingofferedto
people withco-morbiditiessuchasdiabeteswhethertheyshow coronavirussymptomsornot.
Thissmart approach to screeningandtestingispartof our effortto limitinfectionsamongthose
mostvulnerable.
We will continue tobe ledbyscientificevidence andadaptourstrategieswhere necessary.
As part of the national efforttocontain coronavirus,protectingthe generalpopulationfrom
becominginfectedmustbe matchedbyeffortstoprotectpeople whoare at greaterrisk.
Throughoutthe nationwide lockdownperiod,we have takenmeasurestoensure thatthose who
relyon chronicmedicationortreatmentare able tovisithealthfacilities.
The Departmentof Social Developmenthassetdietarystandardsonthe foodprovidedto
communitiesduringlockdowntoensure theyof nutritionalvalue,whichisparticularlyimportant
whenmanagingdiabetes.Companiescanplaytheirpartby keepingbasicfoodpricesdown,which
meansthat people don’tneedtoseekoutcheapprocessedfoodsof poornutritional value.
Amongthe many casesbeingmade forthe National HealthInsurance isthatwe will be able to
mobilise the necessaryresourcestoovercome the burdenof these non-communicable diseases
and improve the healthoutcomesof all ourpeople,notjustthose whocanaffordto pay.
Until we have overcome thispandemic,we all have toplayitsafe, forourselvesandthose around
us.
Difficultthoughitmaybe,we shouldnotexpose ourelderlymothersandfatherstothe virus
throughsocial visits.Letuskeepintouchwiththemby phone or videomessaging.
If theylive withus,letusensure we observe properhygiene atall timesbywashingandsanitising
our hands.Frequentlytouchedsurfaces,includingequipmentusedbyourparentsand
grandparentslike walkersandcanes,shouldbe frequentlycleaned.
We shouldlimitoursharedspaceswhere possible andwearamask whenaroundour elderly
relatives.Atthe same time we mustbe ledbycommonsense andnotisolate elderlyorsick
relativesata time whentheyneedusmost.

3. People withunderlyingmedical conditionslike diabetesandhypertensionshouldbe extra
cautious.Theyshouldobserve socialdistancing,stayhome if possible andstayawayfrom
crowdedplaces.Like everyone else,theyshouldpractice goodhygiene andcontinuetotake their
medication.
One of the lessonsfromthispandemic isthatwe needa holisticapproachtohealth.Anecdotal
evidence suggestsmanyof ourpeople have usedthe lockdownperiodtomake positive lifestyle
changeslike doingmore exercise orquittingsmoking.Suchdevelopmentsshouldbe welcomed.If
some of us have become healthierduringthe lockdown,we shouldcontinue inthisvein.
Reducingthe burdenof lifestyle-relateddiseasesonourhealthsystemisultimatelyinthe best
interestsof ourhealth,oureconomyandour ownpersonal finances.
While the COVID-19fatalityrate islow inSouthAfricacomparedto the rest of the world,the
risingnumberof infectionsisacautionagainstcomplacency.
If we followall the preventionmeasureswe willbe able toprotectourselves.We will also,
throughour everydayactions,protectandkeepsafe those whoare mostvulnerable.
Let us remaincautious.Letusremainvigilant.Letusstaysafe.
Withbestwishes,