Keep on keeping your distance, washing your hands and masking up! These and other key COVID-19 messages were delivered to communities living in and around City of Cape Town public housing facilities in Chestnut Place in Belhar today, 29 July 2020.
The City of Cape Town’s Human Settlements Directorate in collaboration with City Health, the Social Development, Safety and Security and Urban Management Directorates, as well as Subcouncil 6 engaged the community in and around public housing facilities in Belhar about some of the key messages of COVID-19 care.
‘It’s important that we continue to visit our public housing facilities, and residents across the metro, and engage directly with our residents. We have seen the initial COVID-19 infection peak projection move outwards and lowering in part likely due to our interventions here in the Western Cape but this virus is not going to go away and will remain with us for the foreseeable future. Residents might have message fatigue, might be relaxing on wearing their masks or keeping their distance, but we encourage them not to let up. The only way we can stay healthy is to mask up, keep our distance and wash our hands.
‘We must drive awareness in our very high risk communities and deliver key messaging around COVID-19. Education and awareness could mean the difference between life and death. Our message is simple, look after yourself for the love of your family, of your neighbours and friends and community. This is part of the City’s new For the Love of Campaign. Apart from the loud hailing messages, tens of thousands of sticky posters, street pole posters and direct community engagements have been around how to make a tippy tappy for hand washing, how to use bleach as a disinfectant and how our residents can self-isolate in a crowded area when they might not have the privilege of space.
‘These awareness drives in vulnerable areas and in informal settlements, run alongside other interventions. For instance, enhanced COVID-19 cleansing at public housing facilities, such as Community Residential Units and hostels, is being rolled out. This is part of the City’s broader programme to give our residents the tools they need to stay as healthy as possible and to reduce the spread of COVID-19,’ said the City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Human Settlements, Councillor Malusi Booi.
Loud hailing initiatives continue to form part of the City’s awareness drives in communities and transport hubs across the metro. Awareness drives will continue in key areas over the coming weeks.