We have Levels of lockdown here in my country with level 5 being the highest; that's where we were for 5 whole weeks until 1 May - Worker's Day, when we moved to level 4.
A BITTERSWEET WORKER'S DAY
This Worker's Day was bittersweet though, a stark reminder that there already have been many job losses with thousands more to follow in the weeks and months ahead as all companies, except for essential services, had to close their doors for an indefinite period!
Small businesses simply cannot survive.
GOVERNMENT AID - TRUTH OR A LIE?
There are government relief schemes for small businesses but when I look at some that are relevant to our BnB, most are loans, some to be paid into staff bank accounts to cover their wages only; forget about the rest of the business overheads!
Who in their right mind wants to take out a loan if you're unsure you're going to survive?
LEVEL 4 LOCKDOWN
Under Level 4, we're still living with draconian laws and are facing the following restrictions:
It is a serious punishable offence to share fake Covid-19 news - don't ask me who's going to be the judge of what's fake and what's not!
Wearing of cloth face masks is compulsory as you step outside your property, even if you're alone in your car! I want to wear a face mask in public in any case whether it's compulsory or not, but really, if I'm alone in my car?
We could be stopped at road blocks set up by the police and harassed, not questioned, about where we're going.
Heaven forbid if you say you're on your way to the pharmacy to pick up meds and cannot produce a prescription as happened to an elderly gentleman who was given a hefty fine when going to pick up his insulin as the pharmacy already had his repeatable prescription and the officer did not believe him!
We can only go for a run or walk between 6 and 9 in the morning. With winter approaching it still is dark at 6am. One will have to make darn sure you're back home before 9am and not stray off the path or get lost!
We cannot move between cities nor provinces without a permit.
I'm not in favour of smoking but banning tobacco sales during times like this when people are already under stress really makes no sense until you hear that the minister who made this decision has a close relationship with a self confessed illegal tobacco dealer! This was verified by a local news reporter!
Smokers currently buy cigarettes on the black market at double the price!
I could go on and on, but the point I'm trying to make is that with these harsh and mostly senseless regulations enforced by our government, people are going to become rebellious!
These are the list of fines we could face if we break the new lockdown laws.
REAL REASON FOR EXTENDED LOCKDOWN
We've learned that the real reason for this extended lockdown is that our government is playing for time, as our pathetic public health system cannot even cope during normal times.
With a pandemic of this magnitude, they would not have enough beds or ventilators, and that is what they're working on before our severe restrictions will be lifted further.
LOW COVID-19 INFECTION RATE IN SOUTH AFRICA
The dangers of not being honest with the people is that everyone is getting GATVOL (fed-up) as our infection rate is ridiculously low - currently stands at 6336 confirmed cases out of a population of just over 59 million people, and only 123 deaths since it first reared its ugly head here in early February!
I fully understand that the worse is yet to come as we're going into winter, but with the poorest of the poor not being able to put bread on the table, things are going to get out of hand.
A hungry belly shouts louder than a possible threat from a virus that has not really shown its face here, and a government that keeps on bullying its people!
Not being honest is the real danger, as people will tire of being vigilant with sanitizing when no one around them are getting sick, until the explosion takes place when the virus invades one of those living in cramped conditions!
THE TABLES ARE TURNED…
I will end on a lighter note and share something that struck me today -
During the times before Covid, we would be showered, shaved, hair done and dressed up in our best gear before going to the stores; nowadays with the threat of contamination and only food stores and pharmacies open, we wear last year's outfits and do all of the above when we get back home!
Then only is everything sanitized; from wallets to shoes, masks and clothes plus hot showers to wash off possible Coronaviruses; the stuff we've bought does not skip this treatment either!
Children are warning their elderly parents to take this Virus seriously, not to go out so often and to make sure we do all of the above!
Used to be the other way around not so!
THERE ARE SOME POSITIVES TO LOCKDOWN - NOT THE LIES!
Many positive things are happening; like we’re now talking a whole lot more to each other.
Many households are more determined than ever before to become self-sustainable with veggie gardens springing up in many households, rainwater harvesting tanks that’s been standing in the garden are being connected, solar system are being planned, Moms are baking their own bread and preparing food from scratch instead of warming up frozen boxed foods and a whole host of other good things!
WE WANT THE TRUTH
Another last word, and that is we need to be told the truth!
There are whistle blowers everywhere and the truth always comes out, so the governments should not try and pull the wool over our eyes as this could turn out to be disastrous!
This has been my response to the question posed by @ecotrain - Is it right for governments to lie to us to control our behaviour or prevent panic?
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