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Covid-19: Nothing to 'relax' about in the Western Cape

In a vain effort to instil confidence, Western Cape health MEC Nomafrench Mbombo says "Relax, we got this" at a visit to Tygerberg's Covid-19 isolation ward.

A couple of things about her: she was Helen Zille's affirmative action appointee that the present baas, Premier Alan "Windbag" Winde, kept in his 50/50 white cabinet. All medical, administrative and I daresay political decisions about health are made by her putative boss, head of health Dr Beth Engelbrecht (Winde's only a matriculant and doesn't know from nothing), a white.

Mbombo is a cipher really, only coming out to speak at ribbon-cutting ceremonies, etc like the Covid unit.

A couple of things about Tygerberg: if this is where the WC's Covid-19 unit is then lord help us. It's in such a poor state that officially it would be cheaper to demolish it than attempt repairs. From what I've heard, one might get infections from just entering its doors, and that was before Covid-19.

And knowing how these drones at WC health think, the isolation unit is not separate from the hospital's air conditioning system. Recirculated air, 70-80% of air the system pumps back, is distributed elsewhere in the hospital. Note the airconditioner's filters are for dust, not microorganisms.

There's a truism about WCHD facilities, there's a 50% change of one getting more ill, not cured or dying after seeking healthcare. I don't have confidence in Nurse Nomafrench's "expert" assurance we've nothing to be concerned about.

Further, the virus is felling swathes around the world but the DA, and for their part ANC, expect us to believe they've got it covered. 

No Nurse Nomafrench, go back to your normal job of changing patients' catheters and leave the expert medical opinion to those who know what they're talking about.

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