Lockdown Restrictions To Be Decided Next Week, National Coronavirus Command Council Plan Meeting
- The minister of health, Dr Joe Phaala, has announced that the National Coronavirus Command Council will meet next week
- Covid-19 infections in South Africa have risen by 400%, which is thought to be due to the Omicron variant
- The health department held a press conference to explain the government's plan for vaccination
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JOHANNESBURG - Dr Joe Phaahla, the Minister of Health, has said that National Coronavirus Command Council will decide whether further lockdown restrictions are necessary when they meet next week.
The Omicron variant is causing Covid-19 infections to rise with a 400% increase, which worries the council and health department.
According to SABC News, the majority of Omicron patients do not present severe symptoms of Covid-19. Gauteng is still the province with the most daily infections.
Source: Getty Images
The government's vaccine plan is announced
TimesLIVE reports that Dr Phaala along with Dr Sibongiseni Dhlomo, the deputy health minister, held a virtual press conference to explain the government's vaccine plan.
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12 to 17-year-olds, who previously received only one dose of the Pfizer vaccine, are now able to register for their second dose.
The South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA) has approved the Pfizer booster shot for use in South Africa.
Health Minister Joe Phaahla says 7 out of 10 admitted patients are unvaccinated but no need to panic
Previously Briefly News reported that Joe Phaahla, Minister of Health stated in a weekly media briefing on Friday, 10 December that 70% of the hospital admissions are of people who have not been vaccinated against the coronavirus.
Phaahla stated that as it stands, vaccines have proven to be working effectively against Omicron so far, however more scientific research still needs to be done to determine the efficacy of current vaccines.
The minister revealed that the percentage of young people being hospitalised for Covid19 has significantly gone down. At the start of the fourth wave, under 18s had made up 21% of hospital admissions but now they only make up 5%.
Source: Briefly News
