South Africa’s current coronavirus lockdown is “likely to cause more suffering in the short and long terms,” and President Cyril Ramaphosa should end it immediately, a group of local doctors said on Thursday.
In an open letter to the president, the 19 doctors appealed to Ramaphosa to end what they called “the hard lockdown” and reopen certain sectors of the economy immediately.
The country has been on a five-week nationwide lockdown since March 27 as the government seeks to contain the spread of the coronavirus.
Speaking on behalf of the group, neuroradiology specialist Ebrahim Kader said although the lockdown was essential, it was imposed without providing for adequate planning.
“We needed the time to prepare and we needed the public to know just how serious this condition is,” Kader said.
He said his group is advocating for a situation where “at some point we need to return to some sense of normality.”
“For the young and fit, it is time to get back to work. We need to get the economy going. We need something to come back to.”
Kader said easing the lockdown and reopening the economy would also be beneficial for the health sector.
The doctors wrote to the president – whose office is yet to respond to the letter – as the country recorded 65 deaths from 3,635 confirmed cases of the virus that broke out here in the first week of March.
NM/jn/APA