A Covid-19 health awareness intervention was conducted at Atlantis malls on Friday 3 July, which involved loud hailers, distribution of pamphlets and inspection of informal traders.
The initiative was a collaboration between municipal law enforcement officials, City health department, the public and the sub-council office.
Nora Grose, Sub-council 1 chairperson, said 26 informal traders were inspected, of whom eight were found to be non-compliant and 18 compliant.
A worrying factor for her was that many people were not wearing masks, and those who were wore them incorrectly.
“Children are not wearing masks,” Grose pointed out. “There is no social distancing, even though some stores have social distancing markers in place. Some of the informal traders have no hand sanitiser. People are just not interested.”
She added there was very little or no information at the centre about Covid-19 as a widespread serious health concern.
“We have to engage with the public and ward councillors to put up posters in the centres to create more awareness,” Grose said. “The nonchalant attitude and approach to the Covid-19 pandemic by commuters and residents of Atlantis is a huge concern for me.”
The sub-council chairperson says much has been done to educate people, but she finds there is still a lingering denial in society about the seriousness of Covid-19, treating it as a farce.
“We have seen an increase in fatalities daily. It has been confirmed by the World Health Organisation that this virus can be airborne, something we have known for some time, and I plead with all residents of Atlantis not to gamble with their lives. This virus is a monster and knows no class or race; it is not selective of who it will target.”
She added parents who refuse to send their children to school, claiming they will be at greater risk, choose to allow their kids to walk and play freely in the streets, malls and shops without wearing a mask.
“This puts not only the children and their parents at risk, but also the elderly and all those who need to go to the shops for essential items.”
