Residents here have taken the Covid-19 warnings seriously and are complying with the government’s regulations.
UPINGTON residents have taken the Covid-19 warnings seriously and are complying with the government’s regulations as some of them ventured into town on Monday to draw their pension or buy food on the fourth day of the lockdown.
Most shoppers who were queuing outside shopping centres followed the one-metre distance regulation, while police and traffic officials patrolled the streets and monitored those standing in queues.
Shoppers indicated that they were concerned about their health and did not want to become a “coronavirus statistic”.
“We have to obey the rules. These rules were implemented for our own safety. It is not the politicians who will fall ill, but us, and we will also be the ones who will need urgent medical attention. In order to stay safe, we all need to obey the rules,” they said.
Others indicated that extra precautions needed to be taken due to the fact that it was the old-age social grant beneficiaries who were mostly filling the stores.
“Older people are receiving their grants today and the government has indicated that this disease can be fatal to the elderly. Nobody wants that to happen.”
The stores only allowed a handful of shoppers inside at a time and staff, as well as store security, kept count of the number of shoppers as they entered the stores. Shoppers were also constantly reminded to maintain a safe distance from each other.
Store employees indicated they were surprised by the positive attitudes being displayed by most people.
“We expected the stores to be busy and people not to comply with the regulations imposed. Last week people were worried about getting food and the town was very busy. Today is a totally different picture,” they pointed out.
