Protect the elderly from COVID-19

President Cyril Ramaphosa has called on the public to protect the elderly from exposure to Coronavirus, as this group is the most vulnerable.

Writing in his weekly newsletter to the nation, the President said keeping a distance from the elderly during this period can save their lives.

“Coronavirus can infect anyone, but older people are among those at highest risk of getting severely ill and possibly dying. Sadly, there have been a number of Coronavirus outbreaks at old age homes and care centres, resulting in a number of deaths,” he wrote.

Data released by the Department of Health indicates that people with underlying medical conditions such as high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease, renal disease, asthma and chronic respiratory disease are more vulnerable to developing severe complications and dying from COVID-19.

According to new research published by the National Institute for Communicable Diseases, a third of patients admitted to hospital with COVID-19 had at least one co-morbidity.

“This is a significant concern in a country such as ours, which also has a high prevalence of HIV and tuberculosis, the leading cause of natural deaths in South Africa last year. Additionally, more than 4.5 million South Africans have diabetes, a figure that has doubled since 2017. In the Western Cape alone, diabetes is a co-morbidity in over half of all COVID-19 deaths,” the President said.

In Gauteng and the Western Cape, testing is being offered to people with co-morbidities, such as diabetes, whether they show COVID-19 symptoms or not.

“This smart approach to screening and testing is part of our effort to limit infections among those most vulnerable. As part of the national effort to contain Coronavirus, protecting the general population from becoming infected must be matched by efforts to protect people who are at greater risk.”

Throughout the nationwide lockdown period, government has taken measures to ensure that those who rely on chronic medication or treatment are able to visit health facilities.

The Department of Social Development has set dietary standards on the food provided to communities during the lockdown to ensure that it is of nutritional value. This, President Ramaphosa said, is particularly important when managing diabetes.

“Companies can play their part by keeping basic food prices down, which means that people don’t need to seek out cheap processed foods of poor nutritional value

“Among the many cases being made for the National Health Insurance is that we will be able to mobilise the necessary resources to overcome the burden of these non-communicable diseases and improve the health outcomes of all our people, not just those who can afford to pay.”

He urged the public to not expose the elderly to the virus through social visits, calling on citizens to rather keep in touch by phone or video messaging.

“If they live with us, let us ensure we observe proper hygiene at all times by washing and sanitising our hands. Frequently touched surfaces, including equipment used by our parents and grandparents like walkers and canes, should be frequently cleaned,” he said.

Where possible, shared spaces should be limited and a mask be worn when around elderly relatives.

He said that people with underlying medical conditions like diabetes and hypertension should be extra cautious.

“They should observe social distancing, stay home if possible and stay away from crowded places. Like everyone else, they should practice good hygiene and continue to take their medication.

“One of the lessons from this pandemic is that we need a holistic approach to health. Anecdotal evidence suggests many of our people have used the lockdown period to make positive lifestyle changes like doing more exercise or quitting smoking. Such developments should be welcomed. If some of us have become healthier during the lockdown, we should continue in this vein,” the President said.