Stay safe, and do you… but let’s not be unkind to those that are not following your idea of “what is right”.
South Africa (17 August 2020) – Tomorrow South Africa moves to level 2 which means that many people will start to see family and friends again, go to the gym, visit restaurants and even go on holiday.
Our collective hope is that everyone will continue taking precautions like wearing masks and physically distancing when they need to but as our economy opens up and people start to get out more, can we all please agree to stop shaming them for how they choose to define their own new normal.
I am seeing a lot of nastiness online, and I just want to remind everyone to be kinder.
This virus has made people lose their marbles, and many people are triggered by what others are doing. I think we all need to remember that things are changing rapidly, and what is completely “illegal” this week, will change next week… so I am not sure why people are taking to social media to call out what they deem to be “unacceptable behaviour”.
One of the biggest challenges in our country is the thought of being “other” or “better than” without taking other people or situations into consideration.
Let’s all agree to work on that.
Our economy is opening up, and people are returning to work again. We’re starting to move away from this lockdown and into some sense of a new normal. People are beginning to use public transport again; they are going to work, shopping for non-essentials, supporting small businesses, and even doing social things like visiting restaurants with friends, while not wearing masks.
And yes, the numbers will go up, and the stats may get far worse, but the point of the lockdown was not to stop the virus, only to prepare the hospitals and us. We’re 122 days over what was meant to be a 21-day lockdown… that’s 143 days of preparation; if we’re not ready now, I am not sure we will ever be.
I also understand that South Africa is in a different position, at a different stage of the “curve”, but the rest of the world is moving forward, and I don’t believe that we can afford to be left behind.
So stay safe, wear your masks, practise physical distancing and do you… even if that means going out or staying home but let’s not be unkind to those that are not following your idea of “what you believe is right”.
Be kinder. Love louder. Only good things.
by 