RASA calls on govt to change response to Covid-19
With the
latest international bans and fears of an increased level of lockdown in South
Africa due to the discovery of Omicron, the Restaurant Association of South
Africa (RASA) has called on government to change the way it responds to
Covid-19.
“The restaurant industry feels like it’s time for government to change it’s response to the way that they have shutdown Covid-19 in the past with restrictions and the various levels of lockdown,” says RASA’s Wendy Alberts.
The National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) announced the emergence of the new B.1.1.529 Covid-19 variant also known as Omicron last week Thursday.
As country has been in lockdown for 612 days as of Sunday, Albert says government should deliver on it’s promise that the lockdowns were implemented in order to help boost the health care system.
“What they really need to do is to boost the health care industry which they promised to do from the onset and focus firmly on limiting further economic catastrophe. We cannot be put in a position where we are vulnerable again.”
“We cannot accept under lockdown. The industry is frail and we’ve simply had no support and I think the rumors of a further lockdown, certainly put the industry in panic.”
Alberts adds that the media coverage of the new Covid-19 strain has also placed more pressure on the sector.
“With the irresponsible way the media handled the lastest variant that has been discovered, I think it really put pressure on our business with a greater threat for unemployment and bigger financial bloodbath, we just simply will not tolerate another lockdown.”
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