Editorial: Let’s avoid coronavirus hysteria

With Covid-19 coronavirus infections spreading rapidly, South Africans have now to become more realistic in dealing with the inevitable, rather than still hoping vainly that it will disappear.

At an individual level, we are enjoined to do the right thing by ensuring good personal hygiene, avoiding mass events and getting tested as soon as we recognise any symptoms.

Government has to do its bit to share information timeously, monitor the situation and take drastic action if necessary.

Although late, the evacuation of South African citizens from Wuhan, China, the epicentre of the outbreak, is better than no action at all. The return of these citizens is voluntary.

Hundreds of other South Africans will remain in China.

Those who are returning to the country are being placed in quarantine in a hotel in Polokwane, Limpopo, a move that has led to hysteria among some people in the province who are unhappy that it will host their compatriots.

The ANC Youth League in Limpopo has articulated the concerns of some locals, saying: “Our bone of contention is that the first site which was identified is the Free State, and now that the Free State has reneged, Limpopo was seen to be low-hanging fruit to play host to the patients.

“We are worried about the socioeconomic conditions that the majority of our people find themselves in.

For example, if one of the employees at the designated hotel were to contract the virus, they would transmit it to the multitudes of people they interact with in public transport, their homes and other places where black people socialise.”

This statement is based on pure ignorance, prejudice and lack of compassion.

Read: Covid-19: Elderly and people with underlying illnesses are most at risk

It is a fact that not one of the 122 people returning home is infected, but government has decided to quarantine them for 21 days before they return to their families as a precaution.

So the people of Limpopo are not under threat.

But even if the slightest possibility existed of infection, necessary safety measures would have been put in place.

And even if those returning were infected, what should be done with them? Must we toss them out and treat them like lepers?

There is a real possibility that many more South Africans will be infected. Is this how we are going to treat them?

We have to be compassionate and deal with the virus with information, not rumours and fear.

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