Batswana Unbothered As SA Hits Third Coronavirus Case
Tsaone Basimanebotlhe | Monday March 9, 2020 15:50
Scores of Batswana have been travelling to the neighbouring country and other destinations despite warnings for them to minimise travel.
When The Monitor visited Tlokweng border post on Saturday, the team found out that it was business as usual as many were crossing the border from and to Botswana’s neighbouring country.
Immigration Administrator, Present Gabana told The Monitor on Saturday that nothing has changed.
“Movement is still high. Both South Africans and Batswana still come in and go out in large numbers. They will tell you that they are coming or going to attend weddings and funerals. We are not restricting any movement at the borders,” she said.
However, officer in charge for the Tlokweng Port Health Unit, Obakeng Kgosiethata said when everyone comes from outside the country, they go through a screening process which entails checking their body temperatures and history of countries they might had visited. “If one has signs of coronavirus, we take you to our temporary isolation room. We have an ambulance and all necessary materials that we need to put in before one consults one such suspected patient. No one comes into the country without having gone through a process of screening,” Kgosiethata explained.
“Again if your passport shows that you have been in countries that are affected or highly affected then one fills in a form which we will have his/her details including cellphone number. That helps the health officers to keep on checking the person to ensure that he/she does not have signs of coronavirus.”
The Monitor team also observed that at the Tlokweng border, the Ministry of Health and Wellness has put up a big caravan, which has a temporary isolation room with two beds, dressing room for nurses, which are there in case one has signs of the coronavirus, an ambulance and all required materials.
If one is identified to have had close contact with someone who might have an infection of the novel coronavirus while they were infectious, he or she is required to do the following: isolate oneself at home for 14 days from the moment of exposure to the infectious person; one should not leave the house, except seeking medical care; do not go to work, school or public areas and do not use public transport; wear face mask when you are in the same room as another person and when seeking medical care.
Meanwhile, travellers interviewed by The Monitor said they have not been prevented from crossing the border.
“Mma ga go ise gotwe re seka ra tsamaya, kana go na le dilo tse re di tlhokang ko South Africa. Gape rona ga re a rutiwa sepe ka coronavirus re utlwa fela mo radiong. Re leboga gore re fiwa pamphlets be re chekwa fa re tsena mo gae. Ba etla ba re tlhalosetsa gore re ikele tlhoko jang. Go batla ba tsamaya le di Kgotla ba bua le rona,” said a traveller who did want to be identified.
Another Kefitilwe Gomotsegang said they had to travel because of their aunt’s funeral.
“We know about coronavirus and we did not visit areas where there is congestion. Of course if we pick up signs from our bodies we will definitely rush to the nearest clinic,” she said.
Signs and symptoms of coronavirus are fever, cough, shortness of breath, other early symptoms to watch are body aches, sore throat, headache, runny nose and muscle pain.