User:ThelmaKomana/sandbox

The impact of Covid19 and Lockdown in Tzaneen Overview On 7 January 2020, the World Health Organization confirmed SARS-CoV-2 as a new type of coronavirus (COVID-19). The outbreak started in China in December 2019, initially most of the cases identified were dealers and vendors at a seafood, poultry, and live wildlife market in China. The outbreak has spread quickly around the world including South Africa. COVID-19 is a disease caused by SARS-CoV-2 that can cause respiratory tract infection. It causes infection in your nose, throat, windpipe and lungs. COVID-19 spreads mainly through person-to-person contact. On 5 March 2020, it was confirmed that the first suspected case of COVID-19 tested positive, the patient was a 38-year-old male who travelled with his wife to Italy. There has been rapid increase since the first confirmed case, range of infections is from mild to deadly. On 23 March 2020, a three-week nationwide lockdown with severe restrictions on travel and movement was announced as a new measure to combat the spread of COVID-19 by the president of South Africa Mr Cyril Ramaphosa. The lockdown became effective from on Thursday 26 March to Thursday 16 April and was supported by the SANDF (South African National Defence Force) to enforce compliance to the lockdown regulations. This meant people can only leave their homes to buy food or seek medical help and schools were already closed a week before the lockdown period. The lockdown conforms to the government regulations: limited public gatherings, travel from high-risk countries and the sale of alcohol. On 9 April 2020 Ramaphosa announced a two-week lockdown extension, until the 30 April 2020 with the same regulations due to increasing number of infections from 1170 on 27 March to 1934 on 9 April 2020. Exempt from the lockdown are people considered “essential workers” to the effective response to the pandemic such as health workers, security services. Furthermore, President Cyril Ramaphosa reported that a continuous and staged facilitating of the lockdown limitations would start from 1 May 2020, bringing down the public alarm level to 4. From 1 June, the public limitations were brought down to level 3. The limitations were brought down to caution level 2 on 17 August 2020. Likewise, borders were shut to reduce the pace of contamination from those going into South Africa from different countries. An isolate was likewise implemented on inbound travellers and citizens that were returning.

Negative impact of covid19 and lockdown in Tzaneen Loss of income Tzaneen residents suffered loss of income due to the pandemic and lockdown. Most residents are employed locally as domestic workers, in the farms, shops, in lodges, restaurants and some are self-employed (event management businesses, school transport service provider, market stall etc.). One of the main impacts of COVID-19 and lockdown has been lowering of working hours and loss of employment in some instances. This left most residents vulnerable and others with fear of losing their income or employment. Due to both covid19 and unknown deaths increase in the community, it led to fear of losing income or income earners in the household more than fear of contaminating the virus.

Health and safety Financial crisis like loss of income increases stress in households and the medical health services in the area is still a concern. Health care centres and clinics are overwhelmed, and critical patients are sent home without getting medical attention. Most villages of Tzaneen area still lack access to water and basic sanitation, this makes the community of Tzaneen most vulnerable to the virus. Getting access to clean water is a systematic challenge in Tzaneen area. . “We get water from the nearby river or wait for municipal water supply truck which comes once in a quarter, sometimes we buy from the households that have borehole water”. The covid19 pandemic requires lots of hand washing and proper sanitation practices and these demand water to be accessible.

Education

The closure of schools, colleges, and universities worldwide during the lockdown period has reshaped about each part of ordinary life. From primary schools to PhD, undergraduate students over the world are encountering the adjusting impacts of covid19 as classes move to digital and curriculums stretch into the late spring.

Students and educators have been bothered with the task of adjusting to digital learning environment apparently for the time being. Parents have been required to take on the role of a Teacher or IT person at home, but, unfortunately most parents in villages of Tzaneen do not have access to the learning tools like laptops or know how to use them. Children have missed out on education as they do not have luxury of attending digital classes. “I do not have schoolwork; I wake up every day and go play with my friends on the street”. University students struggled with completing online assessments due to lack of network coverage in part of the villages, “I had to migrate from Telkom network to cell c because I struggled to connect and the university could not provide me with data for Telkom, Cell c is not 100% reliable but is better”. Only privileged students were able to continue with education through digital or online learning.

Positive impact of covid19 and lockdown in Tzaneen

Quality time with family

“While some families are facing stress of losing jobs or income, I am grateful that the lockdown gave me opportunity to spent time with my son and family”, “I work in Gauteng and I see my family once in a quarter sometimes or during long weekends, lockdown gave me opportunity to strengthen our relationship through shared activities and it reminded me realise the importance of family”. Many are finding lockdown as an opportunity to stay home with family as some of them do not get the time to spent with family due to work.

Improve cooking skills

“I never thought I would be a good cook that I am now all thanks to lockdown, I spent so much time in the kitchen trying on some new recipes and it has helped me not to stress about the pandemic”. Since restaurants were closed, most of households saw it as opportunity to try on recipes of their favourite restaurant meals. Some even went as far as selling their home-made food in the villages so that people may not stay hungry during this lockdown.

Better hygiene

Although access to clean water is still a challenge in the area, covid19 and the lockdown made people aware how important it is to practice hygiene always. “Even post to covid19 pandemic, we are going to remember to cover our mouth when we cough, use sanitiser more often, and know what can happen if we shake hands”. The lockdown had everyone change their lifestyle for good because they know what can happen if they do not.