COVID-19 is an infection caused by a type of Coronavirus. The primary means of spread seems to be saliva-droplet based spread. This is similar to the common cold and seasonal flu. COVID-19 appears to be more infectious than the seasonal flu with an infection rate that is 1.5 to 2 times higher than seasonal flu. Reassuringly, however, the vast majority of people who contract COVID-19 experience only mild symptoms, including a potential fever, a cough and shortness of breath.

You can check the live tracker on this illness for updates on confirmed cases. You can also view daily situation reports to keep informed.

The primary symptoms include:

• Fever
• Cough
• Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing

COVID-19 spreads quickly, through:

• Coughing or sneezing – people could catch COVID-19 if they are standing within one metre of a person who has the illness, by breathing in droplets coughed out or exhaled by the ill person
• Close personal contact, such as when shaking hands or touching others
• Touching an object or surface on which the virus is found (after a sick person coughs or exhales close to these objects or surfaces such as desks, tables or telephones), then - before washing the hands – touching the mouth, nose, or eyes

Healthcare Professionals can only treat the symptoms of COVID-19 as they present. No specific therapy is effective against the virus itself. If you meet any of the criteria listed below, you must seek medical care early and share your previous travel history with your Healthcare Professional.

When to seek medical care:

• If you have acute respiratory illness and suddenly have a cough, sore throat, shortness of breath or fever (≥ 38°C)
• Were in close contact with someone who had a probable or confirmed case of COVID-19 infection
• If you have travelled to areas with presumed ongoing community transmission of COVID-19
• If you have worked in or attended a health care facility where patients with COVID-19 infections were being treated
• If you have been admitted with severe pneumonia of unknown aetiology

People who contract the COVID-19 may take anywhere from one to 14 days to develop symptoms. Even if you have not recently travelled to a COVID-19-affected region, or had contact with an individual who has been affected by the illness, you must still inform your Healthcare Professional if you meet the criteria listed above. A virtual consultation is an excellent way to consult with your Healthcare Professional.  

South African hospitals are prepared at national and regional levels to manage a potential outbreak of COVID-19 in South Africa. All private hospitals have communicated their immediate readiness and preparedness to manage cases of COVID-19. All hospitals are being universally guided by a framework that includes case definition and management, suspected case testing, reporting and surveillance.

Bankmed, in partnership with our Administrator, has introduced a range of initiatives to support our members during COVID-19. These initiatives included detailed analytics and reporting to identify and understand the risks and needs of our members, new benefits to provide full financial indemnity against COVID-19, initiatives to protect high risk members against the severe effects of COVID-19, home care and monitoring for early detection of signs of deterioration, digital services for remote consultation and doctor support.

As the pandemic has progressed, much like the rest of the world, the healthcare system has experienced high volumes of COVID-19 related admissions, placing significant strain on ICU bed capacity. In regions where the capacity of hospital beds – particularly ICU beds – comes under strain, Bankmed will do everything in our power to ensure that every single member who requires ICU care, receives this at the highest standards. If necessary, this includes contingency planning to transport members to an available ICU bed, where appropriate. We are fortunate that as we have seen volumes peak recently in various provinces, including the Western cape, Eastern cape and Gauteng, there have been sufficient beds in the private hospitals to accommodate all patients needing urgent care.

Our Administrator, is working very closely with the private hospital groups; with whom we have longstanding relationships. This includes regular check-ins on the capacity of the private hospitals, and particularly the availability of ICU beds for urgent cases. In the event that ICU bed capacity is seen to be threatened or diminishing to dangerously low levels, we will work with the hospitals, the treating doctors, and the members’ families to move members being treated for non-COVID related conditions, to ICUs where sufficient surplus capacity exists. This would serve to free up additional capacity, in the pressurised and overloaded ICUs.

We are optimistic that as a result of the healthcare infrastructure contingencies, and extra resources added during the lockdown, that there will be sufficient healthcare resources to meet the country’s and our members’ needs. We do, however, encourage preventative and social distancing measures, including reminders of available benefits and services that our members have access to, in the context of the rising infection rate.

As the COVID-19 pandemic progresses, emerging experience from other parts of the world, as well as data highlights the importance for members to understand and manage their health risks during COVID-19.