Opinion | Azhar Vadi } 23 March 2020
Hats off to those members of the South African public who have come out and disclosed their Covid 19 status or their fears of possibly having contracted the virus and are therefore are self-isolating or quarantining.
With the rising number of cases sitting at 402 in South Africa and the pending address by our state president, Cyril Ramaphosa this evening, it is now more than ever, that we engage in sharing as much information as possible to help stem the virus.
The kind of information however needs to be credible, truthful and useful.
The knowledge of who has the virus in the various networks of people allow others to make informed choices on interaction and communication.
It is the most valuable information you can share voluntarily and without force in this crisis and there is no shame in it.
While a person’s medical history is confidential and under normal circumstances people seek privacy in their physical ailments, this situation requires a different approach.
By not disclosing, you are potentially putting many more people at risk who may find the opportunity to meet and interact with you.
By informing people, you allow persons who may have been around you, in the same work space, in the same event or place of worship to immediately take action and reduce the risk of further infection.
By letting people know of your status you are saving lives.
In recent days, a few incidents have come to light where people who had already gone into quarantine did not make it known to people and this is a grave issue.
Sooner or later people will come to know who exactly has tested positive and at that point it may be too late for so many others.
If you have gone for the test, or if you feel you may be a potential carrier, I implore you; do the right thing. Let those within the broadest of your circles know about it so that they can take the necessary precautions and save lives.
