Thomas Johnson - Medical Blog

Last month I wrote Western Cape Premier Alan Winde and the DA (leader John Steenhhuisen et al) continue to push back against the even benign level 1 lockdown. This was as Europe, UK and Australia experienced a resurgence of Covid-19 and US numbers continued worsening. But Winde and DA wanted travel restrictions between South African and countries lifted. Winde and the DA oppose lockdowns, even when Covid infections were at their worst mid-year and despite lockdowns being the only way community infections can be slowed. Now Covid is increasing again, as one expected. This week Winde is warning WC residents of a 50% increase in cases , particularly along the Garden Route. This is not surprising as the Eastern Cape is a hotzone. Covid appears to be making its way from the EC to Cape Town. Infection numbers, Winde says, are like May's.  He says another lockdown will "kill all jobs" (sic), but like his DA colleagues doesn't suggest ways to slow it. With inter-provincial m...

This post contains previously posted information. Links provided. It is custom that when a person dies the community, even those who didn’t know the deceased, show empathy and respect to the family. People express sympathy – “sorry for your loss” and “condolences”. The cultural tradition is as old as civilisation. It’s rooted in our humanity and basic decency. Even enemies put aside their rhetoric for a while. The Western attitude to death is influenced by Greek and Latin/Roman cultures and Christianity . The other is Persian which too has ancient roots. Death is an inevitable part of life and is cause for reflection. What happens after is unknowable and so it’s treated with reverence. And to honour the life, achievements and new generation the departed contributed to. The loss is felt closest to the deceased, but the impact ripples to the wider community, more or less, depending on the contact the deceased had with them. My mother died at Groote Schuur Hospital in 2017 aged 91, ...