Every night, at 8PM, my neighbourhood erupts into applause to honour the doctors, nurses, healthcare workers, and other heroes who are risking their lives to keep us safe.

Spare a thought, too, for the police, who are being asked to go well beyond the scope of what they are used to during the lockdown period. Read this, written by a policeman, to better understand.

I also include in that list of heroes the people working in supermarkets, manning the tills and stocking the shelves, and everybody who leaves the house each day to make sure a certain need is met.

We salute you, and we are thankful in a way that clapping and shouting from our balconies could never convey.

Still, there are those who think that we are overreacting (outlets like Fox News don’t help) or that we are damaging the economy unnecessarily, or that the coronavirus is actually caused by 5G.

I’m not sure what it will take for the severity of the situation to sink in, but maybe this video will flick a switch of some sort.

This short doccie, uploaded on Saturday, comes via the Atlantic:

Chaos. Fear. Dwindling stockpiles of equipment. Impossible choices. Patients dying alone. These are some of the things that health-care professionals describe facing while fighting the COVID-19 pandemic. Over the past week, we spoke with doctors, nurses, and physician assistants at some of the hardest-hit hospitals in the nation. In a new documentary from The Atlantic, they bring us into their devastating new reality.

If America’s healthcare system can be completely overwhelmed in a matter of weeks, we South Africans need to make sure we buy as much time as possible.

Staying at home is a luxury that some cannot afford, but for those who can, let this inspire us to do our bit:

All that is being asked of us laypeople is to stay indoors, whilst those on the front lines prepare for their colleagues to die.

Take a second to consider what it’s like not being able to say goodbye to your loved ones in person, but instead having to play your wedding song on FaceTime as your husband passed away.

Sadly, that is exactly what happened to Maura Lewinger – read her story here.

South Africa’s curve may be flattening, and our government’s early action with regards the lockdown is worthy of praise, but the next few weeks are crucial.

Health Minister Zweli Mkhize has warned that this is the calm before the storm, and the success of our efforts depends on everyone pulling in the same direction.

No finger-pointing, no name-calling, just some proper ubuntu.

[source:atlantic]