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Health Minister Dr. Zweli Mkhize says there is concern about a third wave of Covid-19 post-Easter (April 4), as the country continues to implement its vaccination strategy.
Speak as part of a Ingenuity Roundtable on the Covid-19 Vaccine on Monday (March 1), Mkhize He said: “We are all concerned about the possibility of a third wave, or resurgence after Easter (April),” he said, adding that the virus is likely to spread again in winter.
Easter time is typically a period of family reunions, vacations, and increased alcohol consumption, all of which have been closely associated with a growing number of Covid-19 cases.
Mkhize said that by the end of March, the country should have access to at least 1.1 million vaccines, which will come from Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson. Additional vaccines are expected in May and June, and exact numbers are still being evaluated.
The acceleration of vaccines is expected from April, May and June. “At that time, we are negotiating a much larger number of vaccines,” he said.
The problem is that manufacturers have not yet committed to those numbers, but larger numbers are expected to arrive in the third and fourth quarters, the minister said.
The frequency with which the South African variant changes constantly creates new information, changing the dynamics of any discussion.
Mkhize said announcements will be made over the next few days on what can be done with the vaccines to ensure they are more effective against the variants. New information is constantly coming in that needs to be taken into account.
Lowering the guard
Mkhize said there is also concern that people may start to feel more relaxed now that the second wave is over and the country’s lockdown has eased, which could lead to complacency around preventive measures and protocols.
In the past, infections have followed a pattern of increase once lockdown restrictions have been eased.
President Cyril Ramaphosa loosened coronavirus restrictions in South Africa on Sunday night as the rate of new infections declined, removing most limits on alcohol sales, shortening the nightly curfew and allowing for larger public gatherings. .
The move to virus alert level 1, from level 3, comes one year after the first case of Covid-19 was detected in the country, and will remove most of the shackles left in the struggling economy, Ramaphosa said.
“Our approach has always been that restrictions should not remain in place longer than absolutely necessary,” Ramaphosa said. “The threat of the third wave is constantly present, as is the threat of new variants.”
The average daily number of new coronavirus cases has dropped to less than 1,500, from a peak of about 22,000 in early January. More than 1.5 million people in South Africa have been diagnosed with the disease and nearly 50,000 of them have died.
The country began a vaccination program on February 17 to inoculate healthcare workers with a single dose of Johnson & Johnson, and more than 67,000 have been inoculated so far.
The second phase of the vaccine’s deployment will begin in April or early May and will cover the elderly and other vulnerable groups.
The country has signed an agreement to purchase 11 million shots from Johnson & Johnson, with 2.8 million to be delivered in the second quarter and the remainder to be distributed throughout the year, according to Ramaphosa.
Pfizer Inc had agreed to supply South Africa with another 20 million doses, while deals had also been made with other vaccine suppliers, he said.
“From the point of view of the availability of vaccines, we will be insured,” he said. “‘The number of sites that will be available for vaccination will be expanded next week from 17 to 49.”
Read: At Current Rate, Vaccine Launch In South Africa Will Take 20 Years To Complete – Expert
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