[imagesource: Getty Images]

As we see the daily new infection rate dropping, along with the number of new deaths, it’s easy to become somewhat desensitised to it all.

When COVID-19 first reached our shores, I’m sure few would have predicted that in February of the following year, we would consider 1 742 new infections, and 396 deaths, over a 24-hour period an improvement.

Those numbers are actually far better than what we saw through December and January, and the test positivity rate has now dropped to under 6.5%.

Still, that brings the total confirmed infections to 1 479 253, with 46 869 confirmed deaths, and 65 137 active cases.

The actual death toll, when factoring in the spike in excess deaths, is likely to have topped 100 000.

Away from the public eye, there is another toll to consider, as our country’s healthcare workers battle exhaustion and extreme emotional trauma.

TimesLIVE was recently granted access to areas otherwise off-limits to the public, to tell some of these stories:

Stories of sacrifice and loss, both personal and professional, are plenty on the country’s frontline. While infection numbers drop and the arrival of vaccines brings renewed hope, these workers have seen this trend before.

They’re gearing up for an inevitable third wave.

From ambulance, to hospital, to graveyard – MultimediaLIVE takes you to the frontline of SA’s fight against Covid-19.

We’re all suffering from COVID-19 fatigue, but the video below should hopefully give us a sense of perspective:

[source:timeslive]