GEORGE NEWS - The George Municipality has issued the below information concerning important points of the 21 day lockdown.

Let us support persons with disabilities during the lockdown.

• Let us all work to combat stereotypes, prejudices and harmful practices relating to persons with disabilities in all spheres of life.
• We can support persons with disabilities by promoting, protecting and advancing the rights of persons with disabilities in our areas of influence.
• Caregivers assisting people with disabilities are essential service workers.  
• Caregivers are essential in ensuring that persons with disabilities continue to access services and goods during the lockdown.
• Caregivers will continue to assist persons with disabilities to access their social grants and to do shopping.  
• Nobody will be confined to his or her home for the entire 21 days.
• Persons with special needs will continue to be allowed to leave their homes for essential tasks.  
• The standard practices on persons with visual impairments who have guide dogs will apply.    
• The relevant government departments will support people with disabilities in obtaining food and other essential services.
• We encourage essential service providers to support the elderly and persons with disabilities by establishing exclusive hours to buy necessities.  
• Support one another by keeping in frequent contact with others.
• Those with mental health issues must continue to engage with others through phonecalls and texts.
• Check in with persons with disabilities at least once daily to ensure all is well.
• Share information with persons with disabilities that they may not be accessing.
• Caregivers must not sneeze into elbows, but rather into a tissue which is disposed of immediately. Thereafter, wash your hands before assisting patients.
• You will still be able to collect your disability grant during the lockdown period.
• All online learning for schools, colleges and universities must cater for students with disabilities through respective technologies

Essential services keep our nation functioning.

• Essential services are services that if interrupted would endanger the life, health or personal safety of the population.
• It includes the provision of basics such as food, medicine, healthcare, energy and fuel to be available.
• Essential businesses, and those suppliers that support them will continue to remain open as part of essential services.
• Government services such as the provision of birth and death certificates, and replacement of ID documents are also available.
• It ensures the municipal services such as waste-removal and sanitation are provided.
• The police, security and emergency services, and the courts are also an essential service.
• Only go out when requiring an essential service.  
• Reasonable accommodation will be provided for persons with disabilities in healthcare facilities if these persons are diagnosed COVID-19 Positive.

For more information:

For more information, contact 0800 029 999.
You can also WhatsApp 060 0123 456.
Visit www.sacoronavirus.co.za.
You can also visit Facebook Group: DisabilityRightsSA to get more information.

'We bring you the latest George, Garden Route news'