The City of Tshwane has started an aggressive screening campaign to identify people with symptoms of COVID-19 and to isolate them from those without symptoms.
This move is in line with the announcement by President Cyril Ramaphosa on Monday, 30 March 2020 with regard to COVID‑19 mass screening.
The City of Tshwane has already screened an average of more than 4 400 people per day at its 24 clinics as part of an intensified drive to control and curb the spread of the virus.
City of Tshwane health workers will be visiting homes to screen residents for COVID-19 symptoms such as fever, cough and shortness of breath. During the visits, residents will be asked questions about their symptoms and their travel history, in addition to their temperatures being checked.
Testing will only be done if the health worker determines through the screening process that a person is exhibiting COVID-19 symptoms, and the affected person will be referred to a clinic for testing.
People who have tested positive for the coronavirus but have mild symptoms will remain in isolation at home if their home environment is suitable for self-isolation. Otherwise, they will be isolated at a government-provided facility.
Those with severe symptoms will immediately be transferred to hospitals. Fieldworkers will be rapidly deployed to trace people who have been in contact with those confirmed to be infected with the virus.
The screening and testing campaign will help to identify those who exhibit symptoms of COVID-19 as quickly as possible in order to curb its spread.
This drive by the City is aimed at protecting its communities, and the City is mindful of the fact that healthcare workers play an important role and are at the forefront of this fight. The healthcare workers will wear protective equipment such as gloves and masks, and they will use hand sanitiser to prevent spreading the virus to communities.
The screening, testing and tracing campaign will assist the government to monitor and understand the geographical location of new cases in real time in its quest to combat the spread of the disease.
It is important for residents to remain in their homes during the 21-day lockdown period and not to travel, unless they fall in the category of essential services workers.
Concerned community members who have information to share should call the toll-free COVID-19 hotline at 0800 029 999 for guidance.
If we all work together, we can win this battle. It is entirely in our hands. The City appeals to the community for cooperation and support during this difficult period.
COVID-19 health guidelines
Practise good hygiene
- Wash your hands frequently with soap and water for about 20 seconds or use hand sanitiser with an alcohol content of 65% or more.
- Practise good cough and sneeze etiquette by covering your mouth and nose with your bent elbow or a tissue when you cough or sneeze.
Don’t touch your face
Avoid touching your face, especially your mouth, nose and eyes. Your hands touch many surfaces and can pick up viruses. Once contaminated, your hands can transfer the virus to your eyes, nose or mouth.
Keep your physical distance
Maintain your physical distance. Keep a distance of at least one metre between yourself and other people. When someone coughs or sneezes, they spray small liquid droplets from their nose or mouth which may contain the virus.
Regularly disinfect surfaces and items
Clean and disinfect surfaces and items that are regularly touched. These include shared items in the kitchen, bathroom and living areas, such as door handles, appliances, taps, remote controls, keyboards, cell phones, etc.