Few businesses in South Africa will be allowed to reopen from May 1, and a third of their employees can return to work. Some schools will reopen, but with strict limits likely on class sizes.
President Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa has announced an easing of some lockdown restrictions beginning next month.
The country will move from the maximum disease-alert level 5 to a national level 4 on May 1, allowing the phased reopening of some businesses and industries subject to strict precautions, President Cyril Ramaphosa said Thursday in a televised address to the nation.
All people will should wear face masks to combat the spread of the virus, said Ramaphosa, who produced a colorful fabric mask and put it on when he finished his nationally broadcast address.
“We will implement a risk-adjusted strategy through which we take a deliberate and cautious approach to the easing of current lockdown restrictions,” said Ramaphosa.
The nation’s borders will remain closed, travel between provinces will remain banned and no large gatherings other than funerals will be allowed, Ramaphosa said. Restrictions on the sale of cigarettes and some other goods, excluding alcohol, will be lifted and people will be allowed to exercise outdoors under strict conditions. Buses and trains can resume operating.
Mr Ramaphosa has warned of the danger of a new surge of infections. There’s already concern about new spikes in several cities, and warnings that some hospitals are nowhere near ready.
Africa has registered a 43% jump in reported COVID-19 cases in the last week, highlighting a warning from the World Health Organization that the continent of 1.3 billion could become the next epicentre of the global outbreak.
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