Durban - Professor Salim Abdool Karim believes that while there might not have been a need to ban the sale of cigarettes during earlier stages of the lockdown, there was definitely a need to ban alcohol due to the added pressure it placed on the country’s health system.
March 5 marks a year since the National Institute for Communicable Diseases confirmed South Africa’s first case of Covid-19. The patient was a 38-year-old man who travelled to Italy with his wife. They were part of a group of 10 people who had arrived back in South Africa on March 1, 2020.
Reflecting on the past year and highlighting key issues relating to Covid-19 pandemic, Karim said on Thursday that the decision to ban cigarettes and alcohol was made prior to the establishment of the Ministerial Advising Committee (MAC).
"There is very little evidence, even to this day in relation to smoking, however, I could see the concerns that Covid-19 was a respiratory disease and could exacerbate it. I had no idea why the alcohol ban was instituted. I couldn't see a link. But I have to tell you, by the end of level 5 when I first saw the evidence emerging, I began to see the importance of the alcohol ban," he said.
Karim said South Africa was one of the few countries in the world that has to consider banning alcohol when considering how to control a viral epidemic.
"Alcohol has nothing to do with the virus but has everything to do with the ability of the health system. Alcohol dominates so much of the same services that we need for Covid-19; the ICUs, the oxygen supply, the ICU beds and emergency rooms. I began to understand the purpose," he said.
Government was heavily criticised for the implementation of the lockdown which saw a number of strict restrictions come into play; a curfew was put in place, there was a ban on the sale of alcohol and cigarettes as well as the restriction of gatherings, borders were closed and travel was not allowed.
Government also faced a number of court orders, challenging the lockdown regulations.
Related Video:
IOL