REMEMBER: COVID-19 SPREADS FROM PERSON TO PERSON.
President Cyril Ramaphosa announced a ‘national state of disaster’ ...
in South Africa which allowed government to introduce measures to combat the spread of COVID-19 in this country. Many of the measures that the President listed fall under a preventive category called “social distancing.”
Covid-19 can be transmitted in any of the following ways:
- People can catch Covid-19 droplets coughed or sneezed into the air if they are standing within one meter of a person who has the illness, by breathing in the droplets coughed out or exhaled by the ill person.
- When shaking hands or touching others.
- Touching surfaces on which the virus is found then – before washing hands – touching their mouth, nose, or eyes
Reduce social gatherings
Why does this matter?
Slowing down infections by practising social distancing allows the health system cope better with the new cases of seriously ill patients needing hospitalisation and intensive care. If there is an influx of sick people at emergency rooms all at once, the system will crash and lives will be lost.
People cannot see symptoms in the early stages. You may feel like you have no symptoms but may still be infectious and could infect two to four people during the five days you are contagious before you start to feel sick — according to US paediatrician Dr Steve Silverstro.
Social distancing is how every individual can help those around them and make a difference to the pandemic. We have the power to flatten the infection curve by acting now.
Health experts' advice: behave as if you have Covid-19 and don't want to infect others.
Examples of social distancing include:
- Working from home
- Staying at home instead of socialising at other public venues
- Closing schools and universities and switch to online lessons
- Avoiding all situations where you will be part of large crowds – concerts, theatre, sports events, crowded malls, gyms and public transport
- Cancelling or postponing large events
- For the next couple of weeks/months, don’t visit or workout at the gym where your risk of acquiring COVID-19 is high. Rather, train at home or outdoors
- Use your Affinity Health Telehealth Benefit to consult a primary healthcare professional from the comfort of your own home.
- Use digital devices to connect with loved ones online. Video call, Skype, Facetime, Social Media and emails will help you get in touch with those dear to you.
- Avoiding trips to the shops and busy malls. Order your groceries and medicines online or telephonically, so that they can be delivered to you.
- Refrain from direct physical contact with another person – avoid shaking hands and limit kissing or hugging other people.
Promote social distancing
act fast and connect to Affinity Health’s convenient primary healthcare professionals to save time waiting in queues and resources spent to get you the
medical attention you need as soon as possible.
Use your Telehealth Consultations Benefit to get in touch with Affinity Health primary healthcare professionals during the operating hours below for safe telephonic and digital consultation at no cost to you.
Our primary healthcare professionals will assess the risk and severity of your symptoms with key questions that will show specific indicators so they can either refer you to:
- Your nearest Covid-19 testing centre for further diagnostic;
- Or your nearest Affinity Health network GP;
These consultations are both convenient and will assist in preventing medical facilities from overcrowding, and possibly spreading the infection.
If needed, our Healthcare Professionals will prescribe medication, up to schedule 4, as well as provide you with a sick note for up to 2 days.
Prescriptions will be sent to your nearest pharmacy for collection.
To speak to a Healthcare Professional, please call 0861 11 00 33 during the following times: