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- The government has warned against fake news narratives about a Covid-19 vaccine.
- This, after the statements of the Chief Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng.
- The government said its decisions about the pandemic are based on science.
The government warned against a “fake news” narrative as the world searches for vaccines to slow the spread of Covid-19.
This comes after Supreme Court Chief Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng defended his controversial prayer that any Covid-19 vaccine that was “from the devil” be destroyed.
Speaking during a thanksgiving ceremony at Tembisa Hospital, televised by SABC, Mogoeng said: “If there is any vaccine that is from the devil, intended to infuse triple-six into people’s lives, intended to corrupt their DNA, any such vaccine. ” Lord God Almighty, may he be destroyed by fire, in the name of Jesus. “
Government spokeswoman Phumla Williams said the government has committed to participating in all initiatives seeking a vaccine, adding that the government wants to ensure that when a vaccine arrives, South Africa benefits from it.
She said:
Everything we do around Covid-19 problems is informed by science. Experts guide us on how we respond to this pandemic. It is important that all South Africans avoid unproven reporting of fake news, equally the media must ensure that they inform the public responsibly.
“Unproven information can be quite dangerous, especially since the numbers of positive people rose to 8,000 yesterday,” he said.
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On Wednesday, Health Minister Zweli Mkhize confirmed that a second wave has hit the country.
In a special live television broadcast on Wednesday night, Mkhize said increases were seen in about six provinces.
The maximum age bracket for new cases in the last two days is now between 15 and 19 years.
“This is a new issue and this is the most worrying thing,” Mkhize said.
“A report from KwaZulu-Natal last week showed that the pattern was more widespread than previously thought. This inevitably leads to super-spreader activities spreading to the rest of the country, as the age group is very mobile and the most operators are largely asymptomatic, “he added.
Canceled events
Many of the new cases have been associated with Ballito Rage events in KwaZulu-Natal, News24 reported.
Other Rage events have been canceled, and Garden Route and Cape Metro authorities have been canceling planned events as a second wave became apparent.
The total number of confirmed Covid-19 cases rose by 8,166 on Thursday, bringing the number to 836,764, while the total number of deaths is 22,747 and the total number of recoveries is 756,671, Mkhize tweeted.
News24 previously reported that the government was seeking to purchase vaccines for 10% of its population of approximately 58 million people through Covax. The total cost of purchasing that amount of doses is approximately R2.2 billion, of which R327 million is a down payment, the Health Ministry said.
Williams said the government has been consistent in sharing with South Africa everything they need to know in terms of arming themselves against Covid-19.
“The starting point is that there is no vaccine or cure. The only cure is prevention by wearing masks, washing hands, social distancing and avoiding large gatherings,” he said.
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