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Saapa, which is made up of about 20 civil rights groups, held a press conference Wednesday calling for stricter measures around alcohol use.
Distributors prepare to ship beer after the ban on alcohol sales was lifted and the country moved to lockdown level 2 on August 18, 2020. Image: Veronica Mokhoali / EWN
JOHANNESBURG – The Southern African Alcohol Policy Alliance (Saapa) in South Africa on Wednesday called on the government to institute stricter restrictions on alcohol trading hours during the holiday season.
The organization, which is made up of about 20 civil rights groups, held a press conference calling for stricter measures around alcohol consumption.
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The calls come amid concerns about an increase in COVID-19 infections and alcohol use at hotspots.
In the Eastern and Western Cape, there have already been reports of doctors straining during the rise in infections.
The South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC) has added its voice to the call.
The director of the SAMRC’s alcohol, tobacco and other drugs research unit, Charles Parry, said that other measures must be taken during the holiday season in an attempt to combat the growing COVID-19 infections.
“I think it is a move in the right direction, but it should also be done at the national level. I think we need to look at whether we should allow special promotions and discounts on the price of alcohol at this time, ”Parry said.
“In fact, we have a problem with excessive alcohol consumption in this country. We are the sixth highest nation in the world in terms of the amount of absolute alcohol consumed per drink per day. And that is the problem that is putting pressure on our hospitals and it is a factor that generates many COVID risks that we are seeing now, “he added.
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