COVID-19 WRAP | SA records 210 new Covid-19 cases

October 18 2021 — 20:29

Covid-19: 210 cases, seven deaths in SA in 24 hours, NICD says

There were just 210 new Covid-19 cases and seven deaths recorded in SA in the past 24 hours, the National Institute for Communicable Diseases said on Monday.

There were also only 24 new hospital admissions in the past day, meaning that fewer than 5,000 people are now in hospital for Covid-19 related treatment.

October 18 2021 — 16:10

'We don’t want to work against parents': Gauteng government wants children to get vaccinated at schools

Gauteng premier David Makhura says his government is working on a programme that will allow children to be vaccinated at schools.

“We are going to use the schools as sites for vaccination. We are urging parents to consent. We don’t want to work against parents,” Makhura said at a media briefing held in Dobsonville, Soweto on Monday.

He encouraged parents to go with their children when they go to vaccinate at designated sites.

October 18 2021 — 15:32

'There will be major pushback': lawyer on children 'not needing parental consent' for Covid-19 vaccine

A lawyer has criticised the health department for saying children over 12 did not need their parents' consent to get the Covid-19 vaccine.

He said there had been a spike in consultations about the issue after the comments made on Friday “and I don't quite know what to tell them”.

Health minister Joe Phaahla said from Wednesday children between the ages of 12 and 17 would be eligible for Covid-19 vaccinations.

October 18 2021 — 15:11

Failure to launch: Sahpra rejects Sputnik V Covid-19 vaccine over HIV concerns

The South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (Sahpra) has not approved the Sputnik V Covid-19 vaccine due to concerns that it might lead to higher HIV infection rates among vaccinated males.

This followed a review of an application submitted on February 23 by the Gamaleya Research Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology, based in Russia, for the vaccine to be approved for South African use.

October 18 2021 — 14:06

NGOs scramble to dampen Covid-19's impact on people living with HIV

Domestic worker Mabuyi Dlamini always dreaded the bumpy, day-long minibus journey she had to make each month to pick up her HIV medication from the nearest clinic in KwaZulu-Natal province.

October 18 2021 — 13:37

LISTEN | How Covid-19 will impact your voting experience — IEC

With only 14 days to go until South Africans are expected to head to the polls for this year’s local government elections, questions around safety and procedures are without doubt top of mind.

Being the first time citizens are headed to the polls during a pandemic, it is natural to expect there should be some changes in procedure when voting this year.

Mawethu Mosery, deputy chief electoral officer at the Electoral Commission (IEC), explains the health and safety precautions that will be taken at polling stations and what role, if any, vaccine certificates will play during your voting experience. 

October 18 2021 — 12:00

Questions and anxiety: Here's what kids think of getting the Covid-19 vaccine

Children who will be eligible for Covid-19 vaccination have given mixed reaction to the prospect of getting the jab, with many sharing their hesitation and others saying they are ready to do their bit to keep society safe.

The department of health last week announced that it had been given the green light to vaccinate children older than 12. Speaking at the weekly Covid-19 briefing on Friday, health minister Joe Phaahla said the electronic registration system would be open from Wednesday, with vaccinations starting the same day.

It is recommended that children be given one dose of the Pfizer vaccine.

October 18 2021 — 10:30

Children over 12 years can get the Covid-19 vaccine without a parent’s consent — Here’s why

As the Covid-19 vaccination rollout for children between the ages of 12 and 17 years draws nearer, parents have expressed concern about a statement made by national health department acting director-general Dr Nicholas Crisp that this age group will not need parental consent.

“Children do not need their parent’s consent generally for any medical treatment, but parents can give consent for their children to get vaccinated. It is possible for a child between the ages of 12 and 17 years to go for vaccination at a health service without their parent’s consent,” Crisp told eNCA on Friday.

October 18 2021 — 09:30

Focus should remain on vulnerable age groups: Prof Shabir Madhi

News that children aged 12 to 17 can get vaccinated with one dose of Pfizer in SA from October 20 has been welcomed by top Wits University vaccinologist Prof Shabir Madhi, but he warns that this should in no way become the focus.

Speaking on a webinar hosted by Healthy Living Consulting on Friday morning, just hours after the department of health announced the vaccine rollout for the those 12 to 17, Madhi said: “I will encourage my own children to get vaccinated, but for the country as a whole, I am ambivalent about kids getting vaccinated. This is not going to help much when this age cohort gets vaccinated. We still need to put our efforts into getting the right groups vaccinated, and that is those above 50 years of age, or those who are 35 years and older who have underlying medical conditions.”

October 18 2021 — 08:30

India's vaccine effort slows as dose gap trumps output jump

India's vaccination campaign has slowed despite amassing record stockpiles of vaccine, health ministry data showed on Monday, as authorities maintain a wider-than-usual gap between doses in a strategy that has boosted coverage.

Domestic production of the AstraZeneca vaccine, which accounts for nearly 90% of administered doses, has more than tripled since May, when a supply shortage prompted India to double the period between doses to between 12 and 16 weeks.

That gap, exceeding the 8 to 12 weeks recommended by the World Health Organisation, has allowed India to give at least one vaccine dose to 74% of its 944 million adults, with just 30% getting the full complement of two.

The AstraZeneca vaccine, known as Covishield, accounts for 861 million doses of India's total injected figure of 977.6 million, while its other main vaccine, Covaxin has a dose interval of four to six weeks.

Over the last few days, daily stocks of all Covid-19 vaccines have exceeded 100 million doses, the health ministry figures show, for states and federally controlled territories taken together.

In contrast, daily vaccinations have dropped to an average of 5 million doses this month and even less in the past week, off a daily peak of 25 million last month.

The ministry said it followed recommendations from a group of experts in making any changes to dosage, arrived at by weighing up “scientific and empirical” evidence.

“NTAGI is actively considering the matter of dose interval between Covishield doses,” its spokesperson told Reuters, referring to the ministry's National Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (NTAGI).However, vaccine supply alone should not determine the gap, said Chandrakant Lahariya, a physician and epidemiologist in the capital, New Delhi.

“There is no scientific rationale for reducing the gap,” he added. “In fact, retaining this gap has the possibility of giving stronger protection and longer-lasting immunity.”

Government officials have said they are trying to encourage more of those who are still unvaccinated to get inoculated.

A 12-week gap was more logical and scientific for vaccinations drives such as those in India, where some studies have shown many people already had antibodies against Covid-19, Lahariya said.

In July, the studies estimated that more than two-thirds of Indians already had Covid-19-fighting antibodies, mainly through natural infection.

Monday's 13,596 new cases were India's lowest rise in 230 days, taking its tally of infections past 34 million. Deaths rose by 166 to stand at 452,290.

Reuters

October 18 2021 — 07:40

What we learnt from recording acts of kindness as Covid-19 unfolded in SA

In the face of SA’s stark inequalities it was clear many people were likely to fall into even more desperate circumstances once the reality of Covid-19 restrictions set in. Many immediately lost jobs or saw their businesses collapse, and a host of other restrictions led to unprecedented changes in how we lived.

For the first time in the country’s democratic history, all were compelled to consider the realities of other people. These included the physical and the social. Who lived at home? Did they get along? What would the affect be of weeks in the same space without a break? Was there enough food? Did the roof leak?

Remarkably, the country mobilised. Individuals offered whatever support they could, in money, food and services. In every corner of the nation communities sprang into action to take care of their most vulnerable citizens. In many ways South Africans were stepping up to support one another in ways rarely seen.

October 18 2021 — 07:27

Valneva reports positive results for its VLA2001 Covid-19 vaccine candidate

Vaccine company Valneva reported on Monday positive Phase 3 results for its inactivated, adjuvanted Covid-19 vaccine candidate VLA2001, for which it is hoping to get a licence.

Valneva added it was preparing for trials in children aged between 5-12 years and for a Valneva sponsored booster trial to evaluate VLA2001’s booster performance for people in need of a Covid-19 vaccine booster shot.

Reuters

October 18 2021 — 07:15

Egypt says will impose coronavirus restrictions on public employees after November 15

Egypt will mandate that public sector employees must either be vaccinated against Covid-19 or take a weekly coronavirus test to be allowed to work in government buildings after November 15, a cabinet statement said on Sunday.

A government meeting also agreed to allocate one billion pounds ($64 million) to address spending requirements related to the coronavirus crisis.

Reuters

October 18 2021 — 07:00

Do vaccination certificates expire?

The national health department has clarified questions about the Covid-19 e-certificates being issued to all fully vaccinated adults.

Officially launched on October 8, the certificates allow jabbed individuals access to venues they otherwise would not be able to access.

October 18 2021 — 06:30

China reports 24 new Covid-19 cases on October 17 vs 20 a day earlier

China reported 24 new confirmed Covid-19 cases for Oct. 17, up from 20 a day earlier, its health authority said on Monday.

Two local cases were found in the northwestern city of Xian, while the rest of the infections were imported from abroad, according to a statement by the National Health Commission.

China reported 9 new asymptomatic patients, which it classifies separately from confirmed cases, down from 13 in the day earlier.

There were no new deaths, leaving the death toll at 4,636.As of Sunday, mainland China had 96,546 confirmed coronavirus cases.

Reuters

October 18 2021 — 06:00

New Zealand PM Ardern extends Covid-19 lockdown in Auckland

New Zealand Prime Minster Jacinda Ardern said on Monday that the country's biggest city Auckland will remain in lockdown for another two weeks as it looks to control the spread of the Delta variant of the coronavirus.

There will be no changes in the social restrictions that have already been in place for over two months in Auckland under alert level 3, Ardern said at a news conference. 

Reuters