Thread by @DrZweliMkhize

28 469 South Africans are known to have succumbed to COVID-19 this year- amongst those were 436 public health care workers who paid the ultimate price in the frontline. #NYECandleLighting

Our health care workers continue to bravely fight this war even though they have been pushed beyond their call of duty. #NYECandleLighting

But we must remember that as the rate of transmission rises so too do the infections amongst health care workers rise. To date, we have recorded a cumulative 43 124 health care workers who became infected with #COVID19. #NYECandleLighting

Every time a health care worker becomes infected with COVID, we lose at least 10 days of labour, so desperately needed during this time.#NYECandleLighting

We may lose these precious resources for longer if they become ill and need to be treated and isolated for longer. We may lose them forever if they succumb to #COVID19. #NYECandleLighting

But more importantly, health care workers are not just labour for the health care system- they are active members of society, breadwinners, community leaders, counselors and role models. #NYECandleLighting

Vaccines have also dominated the conversation and we appreciate that everyone shares our sense of urgency to procure and rollout vaccines equitably, beginning with the most vulnerable in our population. #NYECandleLighting

However, I am concerned that the dominance of these issues takes away our focus on the things that will save our lives now. The fact is the virus will continue to mutate and there will always be a new variant discovered- that is only a matter of time. #NYECandleLighting

The other fact is we do not have a vaccine right now. The virus will not wait until these matters are resolved: no matter how fast we work. #NYECandleLighting

Therefore it is important to continue wearing a mask, social distancing, washing hands and sanitising. #NYECandleLighting

I must echo the President’s plea that we remain absolutely focused on what each and every one of us can do now to protect ourselves and each other. We know that, in particular, wearing of masks and social distancing are very difficult to do all the time. #NYECandleLighting

But this is why it becomes ever more important to focus our minds collectively on these simple interventions that do save lives. #NYECandleLighting

Kulolusuku sizokhanyisa amakhandlela ukubonga abahlengikazi no dokotela ngokusebenza kanzima nokuzikhandla ukulwisana naleli gciwane .#NYECandleLighting

Kubalulekile kakhulu ukugeza izandla abantu bengabi isiminya minya mabe ndawonye. #NYECandleLighting

Kulezinsuku igciwane liyangokhula ezifundazweni ezine.#NYECandleLighting

Siyabuka ukuthi kulezinsuku ezizayo leligciwane lizonyuka kakhulu esifundazweni sakwa Zulu Natal nase Gauteng. Nakhona e Western Cape nakhona makuqhubeka amasonto. .#NYECandleLighting

Kubalulelikile ngoba abantu bebuyele emakhaya bezozijabulisa bazi ukuthi igciwane lisakhona. .#NYECandleLighting

Uma sesibuyela emisebenzini emvakwa maholidi, sizobona ukubhebhetheka kakhulu kwaleli igciwane. .#NYECandleLighting

Izimemezelo zonke ezinziwe u Mengameli, zenzelwe ukuthi ukusilekelela ukuthi isimo esibhekane naso sikwazi ukudamba. Ngenxa yokuthi nathi sibe nezaba zokuzithiba ukuthi lesifo singaqhubeki kakhulu. .#NYECandleLighting