Mail & Guardian
Mail & Guardian
delta variantlatest news & developments
A health worker screens a resident at Diepsloot Covid-19 screening and testing site at Diepsloot Sarafina Park on May 08, 2020 in Johannesburg, South Africa. It is reported that more than 12 000 people have been screened and over 1000 people tested in Diepsloot. The Premier urged the people of Diepsloot to continue practicing safety measures including social distancing and wearing cloth masks when leaving home. (Photo by Sharon Seretlo/Gallo Images via Getty Images)
ANTIBODIES

Covid-19 in South Africa: Which approach should we take now?

The trick to tackling Covid-19 at this stage is to be adaptive. The government’s one-size-fits-all approach is broken; we need to be more flexible. But we should not throw away…

  • Philip Machanick
12 min read
In this photo illustration a close-up of a positive coronavirus lateral flow test can be seen in front of a Christmas tree on December 26, 2021 in Cardiff, Wales. A revised version of alert level two measures was introduced on Boxing day at 6am to help mitigate the spread of the Omicron coronavirus variant. (Photo by Matthew Horwood/Getty Images)
COVID 19

‘Unclean!’ Or how to tell people you’re Covid-positive

After 20 months of caution, I let my guard down. Now I feel terrible

  • Charmain Naidoo
6 min read
CORONAVIRUS

Scientists hopeful future Covid variants will be less severe

The lower severity of the Omicron variant of Covid-19 indicates that a stronger immune response has been built over time

  • Marcia Zali
4 min read
The US and South African medicines regulators have faced legal challenges regarding information used to review and approve Pfizer’s Covid-19 vaccine. (Guillem Sartorio/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
B 1 1 529 VARIANT

New Covid-19 variant is a concern as cases show a sharp increase in Gauteng

Some 22 positive cases of the B.1.1.529 variant have been confirmed in South Africa, as Covid-19 cases increase in Gauteng, the North West and Limpopo

  • Eunice Masson
3 min read
Over 40% of the countries on the UK’s COVID-19 ‘red list’ are in sub-Sahara Africa. Photo by Tolga Akmen/AFP via Getty Images
COVID 19

A granular look at UK’s Covid-19 ‘red list’ shows why it’s deeply flawed

When the UK’s red list is considered at a more granular level, the difficulties become immediately apparent.

  • Timothy A. Carey
6 min read
Nine months after first imposing the restrictions, the UK did not remove South Africa from its red list in a 17 September update. (Photo by May James/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)
BORIS JOHNSON

Former British minister urges Boris Johnson to remove SA from UK Covid red travel list

Peter Hain has written a letter to the prime minister saying the red listing of South Africa has ‘no justification whatsoever in science’

  • Eyaaz Matwadia
3 min read
Protection: The decision to give people who have already been fully vaccinated a booster shot should be based on evidence and consider the risks and benefits for society. (Pedro Pardo/AFP/Getty Images)
ADVERSE EVENTS FOLLOWING IMMUNISATION

Covid-19: No vaccine booster shots needed yet

Scientists agree it is important to get most of the population vaccinated before giving booster jabs

  • Marcia Zali
6 min read
This week Ethiopia became the latest African country to confirm the presence of the highly transmissible Delta variant of Covid-19 within its borders. (Photo by AMANUEL SILESHI/AFP via Getty Images)
AFROBASKET

Africa in brief: 4-11 September

What happened on the continent this past week

  • The Continent
4 min read
A healthcare worker administers a SINOVAC Covid-19 vaccine on a minor during the Numolux/SINOVAC Paediatric Covid-19 Vaccine Clinical Trial at the Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University in Pretoria, on September 10, 2021. – The primary objective of the study is to evaluate the efficacy of two doses of CoronaVac against confirmed symptomatic COVID-19 cases in children and adolescents aged 6 months to 17 years. Efficacy will also be evaluated against hospitalization and severe COVID-19 cases. The study worldwide will enroll 14 000 children and adolescents in various pediatric age group cohorts across 5 countries (South Africa, Chile, Philippines, Malaysia and Kenya). (Photo by Phill Magakoe / AFP)
12 YEARS AND OLDER

Pfizer vaccine approved for children older than 12, but roll-out not yet on the way

Vulnerable older groups remain a priority for the health department, so no Covid-19 jabs for children for now

  • Marcia Zali
4 min read
People wearing face masks stand in a line as they wait to be vaccinated at the Sydney Olympic Park Vaccination Centre at Homebush in Sydney on August 16, 2021. (Photo by DAVID GRAY / AFP) (Photo by DAVID GRAY/AFP via Getty Images)
ANTHONY FAUCI

Vaccine passports, masks and herd immunity. Bhekisisa asks Dr Anthony Fauci

We ask the infectious diseases specialist 18 questions about the Covid-19 pandemic: from how to counter vaccine hesitancy to whether life will ever return to ‘normal’

  • Mia Malan
16 min read
A protester holds an anti-vaccination placard outside Downing Street during the anti-lockdown rally in London. Anti-lockdown, anti-vaccine and anti-mask protesters gathered outside the Houses of Parliament and Downing Street as the government announced that lifting further COVID-19 restrictions will be delayed until July 19th. (Photo by Vuk Valcic/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)
AFRICA CDC

Vaccine hesitancy is harmful

In a rebuttal to an opinion piece, Philip Machanick says while there is a distrust of Big Pharma and some medical bodies and research has been proven wrong, throwing out all of…

  • Philip Machanick
5 min read
President Cyril Ramaphosa said the Covid-19 Vaccine Injury No-fault Compensation Scheme will outlive the national state of disaster. (Sharon Seretlo/Gallo Images via Getty Images)
BETA VARIANT

Getting Covid-19 after being vaccinated can happen – but it’s rare. Here’s what we know so far

Vaccines help to reduce the spread of Covid-19, but they are not without shortcomings. Here’s what they can and can’t do

  • Aisha Abdool Karim
12 min read
Mandatory vaccination involves, at a glance, the constitutional rights to bodily integrity, privacy, to protection against unfair discrimination and to freedom of thought, religion, conscience and opinion. (Win McNamee/Getty Images)
AFROBAROMETER

‘Exciting’ ramp-up for Covid jabs

As more vaccines arrive in the country, South Africa could administer 420 000 doses a day

  • Sarah Smit
5 min read
Hospital admissions in Africa have increased by 67% during the period but the bed occupancy rate for intensive care units remains low at 7.5%, with 14% of the patients receiving supplemental oxygen. (Photo by Sergei SavostyanovTASS via Getty Images)
ANTI VAXXERS

We have lost more than three years of life expectancy during the pandemic

Covid deniers and anti-vaxxers seem to want more excess deaths and a shorter life span

  • Philip Machanick
5 min read
(John McCann/M&G)
ZUMAUNREST

Time for a Marshall Plan for South Africa

The conflation of economic, governance and health crises in the form of the recent unrest shows up the need for party-neutral reforms

  • Khaya Sithole
8 min read
The inside of a looted shop in Jeppestown district, Johannesburg, on July 11, 2021. – Several shops are damaged and cars burnt in Jeppestown, Johannesburg, following a night of violence. Police are on the scene trying to control further protests. It is unclear if this is linked to sporadic protests following the incarceration of former president Jacob Zuma. (Photo by LUCA SOLA / AFP) (Photo by LUCA SOLA/AFP via Getty Images)
ZUMAUNREST

Zuma riots and looting hit the rand, jeopardise economic recovery

Any gains made at the beginning of the year could be undone as the protests and the ongoing Covid-19 lockdown threaten business confidence

  • Sarah Smit
3 min read
FREEJACOBZUMA

South Africa remains under Covid-19 alert level four, with minor changes

As the Delta variant fuels infections, the ban on alcohol sales remains, schools will stay closed until 26 July and restaurants may open with limited numbers

  • Eunice Masson
5 min read
‘Reckless’: Vaccinated travellers from some countries arriving at Heathrow won’t have to quarantine. Photo: Hollie Adams/Getty Images
COVID 19

Heathrow airport to fast-track vaccinated passengers

The programme is slated begin on 19 July, the date on which most Covid-19 restrictions in the UK are set to be lifted

  • Agence France Presse
3 min read
Lifeline: People queue at the labour department’s offices in Johannesburg to apply for UIF benefits during the Covid-19 pandemic. (Delwyn Verasamy/M&G)
COVID 19

It will cost UIF up to R3.5-billion in Ters payments every week the lockdown is extended

Any further extensions of Ters payments will impede the UIF’s ability to pay normal claims for unemployment and parental leave

  • Sarah Smit
5 min read
South Africa’s first paediatric vaccine trial participant received the first shot of the Sinovac Covid-19 vaccine (Photo by Darren Stewart/Gallo Images via Getty Images)
BETA VARIANT

Vaccination rate ramps up and registration for people aged 35 to 49 to open

More than 191 000 people were vaccinated on Thursday the daily target for next week is 250 00, says the health department

  • Charma du Plessis
2 min read