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WWhat is Coronavirus?
- Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses estimated to cause about a third of all common cold. Working together they can cause mild to moderate illness to people. Other forms can circulate among animals.
- COVID-19, however, is a viral respiratory illness cause by Coronavirus that has not been found in people before. COVID-19 is not caused by the same coronavirus that caused Serve Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) in 2003, or the Middle-East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV) in 2012, but it is from the same family of viruses. Because this is a new virus, there are still things which are still unknown to specialists such as how server the illness can be, how quick can it transfer to other people and other features of the virus.
Symptoms
What To Do If You Are At Risk
If you have been to an affected region in the last 14 days or have been in close contact with a confirmed or probable case of COVID-19 (Coronavirus) in the last 14 days, stay away from other people and call your GP without delay.
Adopted from material material produced by WHO, Center for Disease Control and prevention.
Protect Yourself and Others.
- To stay protected from the spread of COVID-19, practice good hygiene and social distancing.
Good Hygiene
- When sneezing or coughing, cover your mouth with your inner elbow or tissue. Make sure to dispose the tissue immediately after.
- Frequently washing your hands with soap, including before and after eating, and after eating using the toilet.
- Keep alcohol based hand sanitisers.
- Always clean and disinfect surfaces, especially at workplaces and commuting services (buses, trains taxis and uber/bolt) or any other public sharing space.
- Cleaning and sanitising frequently used items such as; cellphones, keys, stationery and others.
Social Distancing
- Avoid large public gatherings if they are not essential.
- Avoid physical contact, implement a ‘no-touching-greeting’.
- Keeping a distance between you and other people.
- Surgical masks are only necessary in preventing people who have COVID-19 from spreading it to other.
Adopted from material material produced by WHO, Center for Disease Control and prevention.
Home Isolation
What is Home Isolation?
Home Isolation is an effective precaution measure to protect those around you, such as your family, colleagues and friends, from contracting COVID-19. It means taking steps to avoid close contact with other people as much as possible, like you would during seasonal flu virus.
Who should home Isolate?
Travellers who have been to affected countries from the last 20 days will need to isolate for 14 days from the date of their arrival. Person who has been in close contact with a person who is confirmed with COVID-19 will also need to be in isolation for 14 days from the day of contact.
Why Home Isolation?
To avoid spreading COVID-19 to others.
How to: Home Isolation
- As much as possible, avoid close contact with people other than your family/companions you have travelled with. Avoid having visitors at home, except for close family and friends or delivery drivers.
- If you’re in a home where other members did not travel with you or never been in contact with someone confirmed with COVID-19 you should avoid close contact by making sure you don’t come face-to-face contact closer than 2 meters for more than 15 minutes.
- Do not share dishes, drinking glasses/cups, eating utensils, towels, pillows or other items with other members in your home. After using these items, you should wash them thoroughly with soap and water. This includes not sharing space or sleeping in the same room.
- If possible, arrange an alternative temporary accommodation during the 14 days of isolation.
- Should you get sick during the home isolation, contact National Emergency hotline on 0800 029 999 & WhatsApp support line on 0600 123456. The symptoms of COVID-19 are cough, fever and shortness of breath.
Source: https://www.health.govt.nz/our-work/diseases-and-conditions/covid-19-novel-coronavirus/covid-19-novel-coronavirus-health-advice-
general-public/covid-19-self-isolation
Social Distancing Guidelines
What Does It Mean?
Social Distancing is the practice of reducing close contact between people to slow the spread of infections or diseases. Social distancing measures include limiting large groups of people coming together, closing buildings and cancelling events.
If you do not have symptoms, here is some practical advice on how to go about
your day and stay protected from the virus.
Guidance For Employers And Businesses
The following interim guidance are recommendations to help reduce the risk of workplace
exposures to acute respiratory illnesses, including COVID-19, in non-healthcare settings. The
guidance also provides planning considerations if there is community spread of COVID-19.
Cleaning And Hygiene
• Display materials encouraging frequent hand-washing with soap and water for 20 seconds
• Routinely clean all frequently touched surfaces in the workplace
• Provide disposable disinfectant wipes or hand sanitise for use by customers and employees
Sick Individuals
• Instruct employees to stay at home when they are sick
• Display signages at entrance doors stating “do not come in if sick” for customers and employees
• Provide tissues for covering noses and mouths when coughing or sneezing
Make sure you have an Infectious Disease Outbreak Response Plan in place. Those plans should include
the following:
Have A Plan In Place
• Reducing transmission among staff
• Protecting people who are at higher risk for adverse health complications
• Maintaining business operations
• Minimizing adverse effects on other entities in their supply chain
Source 1: https://www.toronto.ca/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/9538-Fact-Sheet-for-Workplaces-Non-Healthcare_final.pdf
Source 2: http://www.thebestmix1055.com/local-news/douglas-county-health-department-confirms-first-community-acquired-covid-19-
updated-sunday/
Prevention Tips
Protect Yourself And Others
To stay protected from the spread of COVID-19, practice good hygiene and social distancing.
•When sneezing or coughing, cover your mouth with your inner elbow or tissue. Make sure to dispose the tissue
immediately after.
•Frequently washing your hands with soap, including before and after eating, and after eating using the toilet.
•Keep alcohol based hand sanitisers.
•Always clean and disinfect surfaces, especially at workplaces and commuting services (buses, trains taxis and
uber/bolt) or any other public sharing space.
•Cleaning and sanitising frequently used items such as; cellphones, keys, stationery and others.
Symptoms
A cough / Shortness of Breath / Sore Throat / Headache / Fever (High Temperature)
What To Do If You Are At Risk
If you have been to an affected region in the last 14 days or have been in close contact with a confirmed or probable
case of COVID-19 (Coronavirus) in the last 14 days, stay away from other people and call your GP without delay.
Adopted from material produced by WHO, Center for Disease Control and prevention.
UPDATE: 17 March 2020
UPDATE: 4 March 2020, COVID-19 Coronavirus
This is foremost a human calamity, afflicting hundreds of thousands of people. Along with considerable human suffering, it has also brought major economic disruption. It is having a growing impact on global and national economies, financial markets, business cycles and individual firms. This is no different for the tourism sector – with travel restrictions and the cancellation of many planned visits, flights and business events. While South Africa is very fortunate that, to date, there is has been no case of COVID-19 in South Africa. However, 2 South Africans who were crew members of the Diamond Princess cruise ship tested positive for Corona virus.
The outbreak is constantly evolving and we remain alert and focused to ensure provide our sector with critical updates and plans.
Screening and readiness
Government is currently implementing a formal, inter-sectoral plan to ensure our readiness, optimisation of resources and capability within the country in the event of a case of Covid-19. This includes a countrywide network of health facilities, the National Health Laboratory Service (NHLS) which is able to perform diagnostic testing and the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) with its highly qualified staff, extensive sophisticated laboratory systems and emergency operations centre.
A robust health system for the control of infectious diseases and greater awareness, combined with coordination, collaboration and additional time to prepare, will be advantageous for South Africa, which has not yet experience case growth.
Collaboration across the value chain = domestic travel
While a drop in international tourists and outbound travellers is a serious concern, it presents an opportunity for creating sustainable incentives to help boost the domestic market and encouraging South Africans to travel to regional tourist destinations around the country. Price-sensitive local travellers will be looking for add-on packages and exclusive experiences that will make their Rands stretch further.
Although the impact of the virus is catastrophic, not all is lost. This presents the industry with a challenge to redirect all cancelled outbound travel to domestic travel opportunities. This is a means by which the sector can help mitigate the economic impact of the corona virus, by boosting domestic tourism.
We must mobilise our sector coordinate and collaborate across the tourism value chain – involving every part of the industry, public bodies, private companies and tourist and travellers themselves.
Africa's Travel Indaba 2020
As one of the largest tourism marketing events on the African calendar and one of the top three ‘must visit’ events of its kind on the global calendar, Africa’s Travel Indaba 2020 (12 – 14 May 2020) will go ahead as scheduled. However, with constant developments on a daily basis, SAT will continue to keep industry stakeholders updated on any changes affecting the event.
While South Africa has not experienced any case of COVID-19, the modifications being witnessed in business and leisure travel behaviour against the backdrop of the global outbreak of the virus, affords us an opportunity to remodel how travel trade shows are delivered. By leveraging the power of digital technologies, we can deliver digitally enabled meaningful trade experiences for buyers and delegates and unlock Africa's opportunity to lead in digital trade show hosting.
Similarly, we can leverage the same digital capability to empower South African tourism players to be ‘at’ international travel and trade shows and continue to showcase South Africa as a destination, when they are unable to travel to such events.
Sports & leisure
As SAT leverages existing and newly formed partnerships and collaboration with sports federations and broadcasters, we can ensure that fans are able to still ‘attend’ and experience our global events by delivering superior broadcast commentary and high definition viewing experiences, when they are unable to travel.
Travel impact
Travel restrictions, and the cancellation of many planned visits, flights, business and leisure events are severely affecting many service sectors. This is likely to persist for some time. Worldwide, Chinese tourists account for around one-tenth of all cross-border visitors, and one-quarter or more of all visitors in Japan, Korea and some smaller Asian economies. The spending by Chinese visitors, are also significant in many countries.
Against this backdrop and within the South African context of low economic growth; the national target of attracting 21 million visitor arrivals by 2030 and China as a priority market for inbound tourist arrivals, South African Tourism (SAT) is committed to working together with all tourism industry stakeholders to prevent, mitigate and respond to the impact of the virus on our industry.
COVID-19: Identifying Symptoms
TTesting and Quarantine
All foreign nationals and travellers from high risk countries who are currently in South Africa, as well as South African citizens and permanents residents who have returned from high risk countries, must adhere to the health advisory implemented by the National Department of Health.
When should foreign nationals and travellers from high-risk countries currently in South Africa present themselves for testing?
Foreign nationals and travellers from high-risk countries currently in South Africa should present themselves for testing when they feel they are developing or have symptoms.
When should South African citizens and permanents residents who have returned from high risk countries present themselves for testing?
South African citizens and permanents residents who have returned from high risk countries should present themselves for testing when they feel they are developing or have symptoms.
What is the process to be followed by foreign nationals and travellers from high-risk countries currently in South Africa, who are developing or have symptoms?
Foreign nationals and travellers from high-risk countries currently in South Africa, who develop and have symptoms, should present themselves to a general practitioner. The GP will refer the patient to the relevant public health facility, clinic or laboratory where tests will be conducted. The facility will refer the results to the National Institute for Communicable Diseases and the National Health Laboratory Services for verification.
The patient will be required to self-quarantine for 14 days irrespective of results.
If results test positive, the patients will be required to self-isolate upon confirmation of positive result. The relevant Department of Health with jurisdiction will be in contact with the patient to advise of the procedures to be followed
Upon confirmation of positives result, the National Department of Health will undertake track and trace for contacts of the patient.
What can foreign and South Africa travellers arriving in South Africa from a country other than a high-risk country, expect upon entry into South Africa?
All travellers entering South Africa will be required to complete and submit the prescribed health form and hand it to health officials and immigration officers on arrival in South Africa.
All travellers will be subjected to medical screening for COVID-19 when entering South Africa and, if required, can be isolated or quarantined for a minimum period of 14 days.
Public Hotline
Travellers who develop symptoms of respiratory illness (cough, fever and shortness of breath) after travel to countries where the Coronavirus is prevalent, must seek medical care early and share their travel history with their healthcare providers.
For more information travellers with symptoms can contact the Public Hotline:
0800 029 999
Weekdays, 08h00 to 16h00
Official WhatsApp Help Services
Send HI to 0600 123 456 on WhatsApp.
Or share this link: https://wa.me/27600123456?text=Hi
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