​Thembisa Shologu
Gauteng province has reported a steady decline in the number of active COVID-19 infections, which has brought much needed relief to the provincial healthcare system.
To date, Gauteng has a total of 194 685 confirmed cases, 152 061 recoveries and 2 761 deaths (1 492 males and 1 269 females).
Gauteng has witnessed significant gains in the use of non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPI's) such as wearing of masks, hand washing and adherence to social distancing.
"We may be seeing plateauing on the number of active cases, but this certainly does not mean that we can let our guard down, but rather we should be more vigilant than we have been in the past.
"We see quite a strong spatial trend, where communities who find it difficult to maintain social distancing and other preventative measures due to household crowding have recorded high levels of infections," said Gauteng City Region Observatory's  (GCRO), Gillian Maree.
Maree added that the pandemic impacts were likely to heighten the inequality gap, something that has been seen unfolding in the last few months.
"Richer northern suburbs have a far lower risk of infection compared to the poorer communities.  
Maree said it was important to use the science from GCRO to continuously track the most vulnerable people who are getting infected.
"This science is essential to guide how and where we target our public health and social interventions at the community-based level to protect the vulnerable," Maree concluded.
Chairperson of the Premier's Advisory Committee (PAC) Dr Mary Kawonga cautioned that although there is a significant decline, the province was still going through the COVID-19 storm and should remain vigilant.
"Vigilance means not letting our guard down and being led by science to continuously watch over the pandemic.
"Vigilance is also not continuing with business as usual, or being complacent, but reviewing where we are and continuing to strengthen our public health capacity," said Dr Kawonga.