COVID-19 WRAP | SA records 3,159 Covid-19 cases & Use AstraZeneca's Covid jab even in countries with SA variant — WHO

February 10 2021 - 22:34

SA records 3,159 Covid-19 cases and 276 deaths in the past 24 hours

After two days of fewer than 2,000 new Covid-19 cases, health minister Dr Zweli Mkhize said on Wednesday night that the number of infections in a 24-hour period had breached the 3,000 mark.

There were 3,159 new infections recorded in the past day, taking the total number of Covid-19 cases recorded to date to 1,482,412.

February 10 2021 - 19:40

Use AstraZeneca's Covid jab even in countries with SA variant — WHO

AstraZeneca's Covid-19 vaccine is safe and effective and should be deployed widely, including in countries where the South African variant of the coronavirus may reduce its efficacy, a World Health Organisation (WHO) panel said on Wednesday.

In interim recommendations on the shot, the Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunisation (SAGE) panel said the vaccine should be given in two doses with an interval of 8-12 weeks, and should also be used by people aged 65 and older.

Even in countries such as SA, where questions have been raised about the AstraZeneca vaccine's efficacy against a newly emerged variant of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus, “there is no reason not to recommend its use”, SAGE's chair, Alejandro Cravioto, told a briefing.

February 10 2021 - 15:38

WHO to issue recommendations on AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine on Wednesday

WHO will issue its interim recommendations on the use of the Covid-19 vaccine developed by AstraZeneca and Oxford University on Wednesday at 1500gmt, a statement said.

The press conference by its panel of experts known as SAGE (Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunisation) was moved up from the original schedule of Thursday mid-day.

SA has paused the rollout of the vaccine following data in a small clinical trial that showed it did not protect against mild to moderate illness from the 501Y.V2 variant of the coronavirus now dominant in the country.

Reuters

February 10 2021 - 14:00

WATCH | ‘We will not waste the money’: Mkhize updates SA on ‘ineffective’ AstraZeneca vaccine

Health minister Zweli Mkhize hosted a public briefing on Wednesday morning to address the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine’s lack of effectiveness against the 501Y.V2 Covid-19 variant.

The minister said the outcomes of the efficacy studies “shocked everyone”.

He said the department will continue with the planned phase 1 vaccination rollout using the Johnson & Johnson (J&J) vaccine instead of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine.

February 10 2021 - 14:00

‘I wasn’t scared to die’: Europe’s oldest person survives coronavirus ahead of her 117th birthday

“I wasn’t scared because I wasn’t scared to die. I’m happy to be with you but I wish to be somewhere else to join my brother, grandfather and  grandmother.”

This was the response from Europe’s oldest person and Covid-19 survivor, French nun Sister Andre, when asked whether she felt scared after testing positive for the deadly coronavirus in January.

According to Al Jazeera, the woman, born Lucile Randon, tested positive for the virus in her retirement home in Toulon, southern France, on January 16. She will celebrate her 117th birthday there on Thursday.

February 10 2021 - 13:57

Pfizer could directly deliver Covid-19 shots to SA vaccination points

Pfizer said it could deliver its Covid-19 vaccine, which requires ultra-cold temperatures for storage and distribution, directly to points of vaccination in South Africa.

SA is scrambling to secure supplies after the AstraZeneca vaccine it planned to use to kick off its immunisation campaign showed greatly reduced efficacy against the Covid-19 virus variant now dominant in the country.

Pfizer said it had allocated vaccine doses to SA and was in discussions with the government.

February 10 2021 - 13:30

Leaders want to be first to take the jab: 5 takeouts from Zweli Mkhize on SA’s Covid-19 vaccine plan

Health minister Zweli Mkhize said there are ongoing discussions about how the Covid-19 vaccine will be administered among the country’s leaders.

He said many want to lead by example and be the first to receive the vaccine to assure the public it is safe.

The minister was briefing the media on Wednesday about SA’s vaccination plan.

February 10 2021 - 13:25

SA says it will ask Covax whether can swap 500,000 AstraZeneca doses

SA will discuss with the international Covax vaccine scheme whether it can swap 500,000 AstraZeneca vaccine doses it has ordered from the Serum Institute of India but which are yet to arrive, its health minister said on Wednesday.

"The 500,000 that was ordered, we have actually contacted the Serum Institute, and we will actually be discussing with Covax whilst it has not been delivered whether it is possible to swap it on Covax and therefore get a different vaccine," Zweli Mkhize said.

Reuters

February 10 2021 - 12:16

Covid-19 drives super-rich South Africans onto golf courses

From golfing and yachting to collecting priceless artworks and classic cars, super-wealthy South Africans are keeping lockdown boredom at bay by indulging in expensive hobbies.

A collaborative review by Sandton wealth intelligence firm New World Wealth and luxury lifestyle development Steyn City Parkland Residence delved into the top hobbies for the wealth brigade.

According to the review, golf is the most popular past time for high-net-worth individuals, with SA home to some of the world’s best courses including Steyn City, Fancourt Links and Sun City.

February 10 2021 - 09:47

WATCH | Oxygen home deliveries breathe new life into Covid-19 fight

When Ashwell Tiflin's ambulance service business took a hit during lockdown, he decided to use his knowledge and skills in another way to help out where he could.

Tiflin played his part by delivering oxygen tanks, masks and oximeters to Covid-19 patients in their homes. The idea was sparked when he saw a demand from patients requiring oxygen at home, instead of at hospitals. 

February 10 2021 - 09:37

Chicago teachers vote for Covid-19 safety plan agreement with district

Chicago teachers voted in favor of approving a tentative Covid-19 safety plan to allow the third-largest US public school system to gradually resume in-person classes for students who have been out of school buildings for almost a year.

Some 67% of the members of the Chicago Teachers Union who submitted an electronic ballot on Tuesday voted in favor of the plan, which outlines safety protocols to mitigate the spread of the coronavirus in classrooms, the union said on Wednesday.

Ballots were cast after the union's 600-member House of Delegates agreed on Monday to allow its 28,000 rank-and-file members to vote on a tentative deal.

February 10 2021 - 09:25

Covid-19 variants taking hold in France but increase not exponential -specialist

More contagious variants of the new coronavirus are taking hold in France but their spread is not currently as fast as initially feared, Bruno Lina, a French virus specialist and a member of the scientific body advising the government, said on Wednesday.

"For now, we have the feeling the introduction of these variants is somewhat curtailed", Lina told France Inter radio.

He added that the variant first detected in Britain now accounted for around 30-35% of Covid-19 cases in Paris/Ile-de-France region, and that the one stemming from South Africa represented 2-3% of Covid-19 cases in France at present.

Reuters

February 10 2021 - 09:23

China gave 40.52m doses of Covid-19 vaccines to key groups

China has administered 40.52 million doses of Covid-19 vaccines for key groups of people as of February 9, Mi Feng, spokesman for the National Health Commission, said at a media briefing on Wednesday.

State media Global Times said in January that China was aiming to vaccinate 50 million people before the start of the Lunar New Year in mid-February.  

Reuters

February 10 2021 - 08:45

AstraZeneca vaccines will be used or swapped before expiry date: Mkhize

Health minister Zweli Mkhize on Wednesday morning said his department will ensure the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccines will either be used or swapped for new ones before their expiry date.

On Sunday, Mkhize said it was only when the first million doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine arrived at OR Tambo International Airport that health authorities discovered the shots were expiring well ahead of what had been planned.

“The April expiry date was not discovered by accident but through the implementation of our quality assurance and control protocols,” he said on Wednesday.

February 10 2021 - 07:58

South Africa says J&J vaccine will be given to health workers in study

Minister Zweli Mkhize said on Wednesday that the country would vaccinate health workers with Johnson & Johnson's Covid-19 vaccine in the form of an "implementation study" in partnership with the Medical Research Council.

"This will provide valuable information about the pandemic in the post-vaccination community and thus, ensure early identification of breakthrough infections should they occur amongst vaccinated health workers," Health Minister Zweli Mkhize said.

He added that vaccine doses from Pfizer had also been secured for the first phase of vaccination targeting health workers.

Reuters

RECORDED | Zweli Mkhize briefs SA on vaccination plan

Health Minister Dr Zweli Mkhize holds a public briefing to address pertinent issues surrounding SA's  Covid-19 vaccination plan.

February 10 2021 - 07:00

WATCH | ‘I hope the vaccine comes now’: Paramedic fears SA isn’t prepared for third Covid-19 wave

Paramedic Clive Moeleso says the only fear he experiences when responding to a suspected Covid-19 case is that he may contract coronavirus and pass it on to his chronically ill mother. 

February 10 2021 - 06:00

California surpassed New York on Tuesday as the US state with the most coronavirus deaths, a grim reminder of the pandemic's toll even as the vaccine roll-out and a sharp drop in new cases buoyed hopes of life eventually returning to normal.

Two new Covid-19 variants, one of which has been classified as a "concern", have been identified in England with some similarities to the South African and Brazilian variants