Coronavirus: South Africa will gradually relax its containment

Text by: RFI Follow

President Cyril Ramaphosa announced Thursday April 23 that the previously strict confinement of the country will be gradually relaxed, in stages, from May 1. If containment cannot be extended forever, as the President recognized, the government is determined to avoid a rapid increase in the infection curve in the coming weeks.

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With our correspondent in Johannesburg, Claire Bargelès

To avoid a rapid increase in infections, the government has introduced various alert levels, at five levels, which correspond to more or less severe restrictions. Level 5 is the level of total containment that South Africa has experienced for 4 weeks. At level 1, most activities can resume their course.

Cyril Ramaphosa wishes to avoid any "  precipitous deconfinement  " which could, according to him, "  provoke a strengthening of the epidemic and lead to a new strict confinement  ". The government authorizes itself to change alert levels according to regions according to the evolution of the pandemic.

From next Friday, the country will go to alert level 4. This will give companies a little leeway, which may, for some, resume their activities with only a third of their employees. However, bars, stadiums or places of worship will remain closed. Residents should always stay at home as much as possible, and wearing a mask will be made mandatory.

After this speech, many questions remain unanswered, especially on the reopening of schools. The different ministers should detail the evolution of the measures during the day this Friday.

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• South Africa
• Cyril Ramaphosa
• Coronavirus
• Health and Medicine