Covid 19: Over 200 Teens Have Died Since the Pandemic Started, Vaccine Trial for Children Begins
- According to the National Institute for Communicable Diseases, around 200 teenagers below the age of 19 have died from Covid 19-related complications
- The NCID has also recorded over 100 deaths of children aged one and below since the beginning of the pandemic last year
- Around 2 000 children in South Africa will participate in Sinovac vaccine trial in September and will be observed for a year after receiving their second jab
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JOHANNESBURG - The National Institute for Communicable Diseases says more than 200 teenagers have died from the coronavirus since the pandemic started last year.
NICD senior epidemiologist Tendesayi Kufa-Chakeza says the teens died from Covid 19-related complications between March 2020 and August 2021.
Source: Getty Images
In an interview with eNCA, Kufa-Chakeza stated the number of Covid 19 cases among children below the age of 19 increased significantly in the third wave.
She stated the NICD believes that cases among under 19s increased largely because of the Delta variant, however, they do not have the evidence to back up the speculation. Kufa-Chakeza stated that the Delta variant is known to be more infectious than other variants.
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There were 201 deaths of children aged between 15 and 19. For children aged one and below, there were 108 deaths in South Africa since the pandemic began.
South African children to take part in a vaccine trial
Approximately 2 000 children and teenagers in South Africa will take part in Covid 19 vaccine trial this month. According to IOL, the vaccine study is being conducted by the Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University and China’s Sinovac.
The children in the trial are said to be between six months and 17 years. The children in the trial will either receive two doses of the Sinovac vaccine or a placebo. The children who have received the vaccine will be closely monitored for a year.
The trial has received the stamp of approval from various agencies that include the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority and South African Clinical Trial Registry, among others.
The same trial will also take place in Kenya, Chile, the Philippines and Malaysia. The trial has a total of 14 000 participants.
Anti-vaccine passports protests planned for the weekend in South Africa along with 40 other countries
Briefly News previously reported that South Africans are planning to hit the streets this weekend to protest the highly debated vaccine passports the government wants to introduce in the coming weeks.
President Cyril Ramaphosa announced at his most recent State of the Nation Address that the government was looking into using a vaccine passport system as proof of vaccination against the coronavirus.
According to TimesLIVE, the protest will take place on Saturday and will be under the World Wide Rally For Freedom banner.
South Africans will be joining at least 40 other countries that are also fighting against vaccine passports becoming a requirement to access clubs, restaurants and even sporting venues.
Source: Briefly News
