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Showing posts from October, 2020

Coronavirus second wave: DA denialism and economy before lives

Public health experts and health minister Dr Zweli Mkhize are concerned about a second wave. He and his wife are recovering from Covid-19.  A number of countries in Europe, and the UK, have implemented lockdowns over the past two weeks. There are concerns the resurgence is going to get out of control - "collapse" was used to describe the state in Spain. On Friday October 23 the US broke the previous record in July with 85 000 cases reported in a day.  South Africans have reason to be worried. But the DA and Western Cape government, who want travel restrictions lifted, are not among them. A pandemic denialist believes it's a hoax, minimises it or rejects universally accepted measures to combat the spread: masks, distancing and lockdowns. From the outset the DA, leader John Steenhuisen and WC government - Premier Alan Winde - insists the lockdown, even the present benign level 1, is exaggerated and unnecessary (they haven't heard about the "prevention paradox...