Durban - AN INTERNATIONAL study has found that lifting the ban on public gatherings correlated with the rise in the number of Covid-19 infections.
The research, recently published in international journal The Lancet: Infectious Diseases and conducted by academics from the University of Edinburgh, found that when non-physical interventions (NPIs) such as the banning of public gatherings and school closures occurred, there was a reduction of up to 24% after 28 days.
“Our findings also suggest that lifting public events bans could increase transmission by 21%,” the study said.
The study was based on data received from 131 countries, including South Africa.
The researchers said the findings could provide additional evidence that could inform policy-maker decisions.
This comes as Premier Sihle Zikalala warned that if people continued as if there was no lockdown, there would be a return to a hard lockdown.
Meanwhile, the Free Market Foundation released a statement yesterday where they challenged any notion towards a hard lockdown and the restriction of people’s movements.
The foundation’s project manager Chris Hattingh, said: “A hard lockdown affects poorer people much more than those in the middle and upper classes. A hard lockdown removes people’s choice to get on with their lives.
“The best possible approach would be to implement wide-scale testing (and let the private sector carry weight too) identify and encourage people who are in the vulnerable age range (and those with underlying comorbidities) to self-isolate, and give everyone else the chance to continue as ‘normal’, as best they can.”
Daily News