SOCIAL gatherings have been linked to some of the cases recorded in a number of schools in the province, says the Western Cape Education Department (WCED).
“With the Western Cape now in the third wave, we are seeing more evidence of community-level transmission, which in turn affects our schools. There are currently 148 active cases among school staff members and 314 active cases among learners in the Western Cape,” said WCED MEC Debbie Schäfer .
She said that each case reported by a school disrupts learning, no matter where it was acquired.
“Our safety measures have proved effective in preventing the virus from spreading at schools, and we must continue to follow these. Areas may need to be cordoned off and sanitised, and the affected individuals have to isolate. This costs valuable teaching and learning time – which we cannot afford to lose any more of. It also adds to anxiety levels,” said Schäfer.
“I understand that our learners – and their parents – have been through a stressful time during this pandemic, and want to relax and socialise with friends. But we cannot afford to let our guard down after school hours, because the short-term benefit of having fun is outweighed by the risk of infection. The higher the rate of infection, the higher the chance of tighter restrictions, so it is up to each one of us to act responsibly,” she said.
“We must do everything we can to flatten the curve of the third wave, and we all have the power to do so by avoiding crowded places and social events. We can stay safe if we work together and take responsibility for our own behaviour. We have made it this far – now is not the time to become complacent,” Schäfer said.