President Cyril Ramaphosa has warned that the failure to comply with the health protocols to fight COVID-19 risked putting the economy in jeopardy.
In his weekly letter, the president called on South Africans to continue to use the non-pharmaceutical methods such as wearing a mask, social distancing and washing of hands to prevent the second wave of the disease.
The National Coronavirus Command Council (NCCC) is meeting this week to assess the progress in the fight against the global pandemic. The president is expected to address the nation after a cabinet meeting.
“When we fail to wear a mask at a social gathering, when we attend crowded events, we are not only putting ourselves and others at risk. We are also putting our economic recovery in jeopardy,” he said.
“Even as most social and economic activity has resumed; we must still observe all the health measures. This is absolutely necessary if we are rebuilding our economy and put this crisis behind us,” he added.
Ramaphosa’s message came as the deadly virus killed 20 people yesterday.
The cumulative number of those infected by the disease now stands at 737 278.
