The World Health Organisation (WHO) has urged that “rigorous implementation” of key public health interventions accompany measures attempting to curb the spread of the coronavirus, also referred to as Covid-19.
In a webinar on March 26, the eve of South Africa’s three-week lockdown, the WHO indicated that implementation of these health interventions needed to be done “strongly” and that these needed to be monitored to assess the impact of mitigation measures, and the benefit thereof.
So far, various countries around the world have either closed their borders or stopped flights from high-risk countries, alongside national lockdown measures. Citizens around the world have also been urged by their respective governments and health organisations to self-isolate and implement social distancing measures.
The WHO has indicated that it expects South Africa's neighbours to follow suit and implement similar measures to minimise the transmission of the virus.
Countries that have not yet gone on lockdown are expected to take note of the impact of these measures in the countries that have and implement similar steps accordingly.
The WHO also advised countries to consider South Africa’s approach to assisting the vulnerable during this crisis period.