John Nkengsong, Director of the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), said, “We are very excited by what we saw in South Africa during this period, where they look at the data in terms of severity (infection). ” a news conference.
“The period when we are using severe lockdown as a tool is over. We really should be looking at how we use public health and social measures more carefully and in a balanced way as vaccination increases.
South Africa experienced a massive increase in COVID-19 infections since late November, around the time it alerted the world to Omicron, with new infections peaking in mid-December at an all-time record.
But new cases have since returned, and the government did not resort to strict restrictions, as it did during previous infection waves, which gave early indications that the bulk of Omicron infections were mild. It also loosened rules ahead of New Year’s Eve.
Nkengsong said he fears that given the slow pace of vaccination, COVID-19 may be endemic on the continent – a possibility many global scientists are already talking about.
“Unless … the continent actually increases its vaccinations by 70 percent or more than 80 percent by the end of this year, my concern is that we … could be in a scenario where COVID is endemic. ” They said.
Experts believe that COVID-19 cannot be eradicated and will likely be endemic, meaning it will always be present in a population to some degree, like the flu or chickenpox.
Less than 10 percent of Africa’s population is fully vaccinated against COVID-19, the latest Africa CDC figures show, with many countries initially struggling to access enough shots and later turning them into weapons. Gave. Struggling to get.
New cases in Africa have increased by an average of 36 percent over the past 4 weeks, with new deaths increasing by an average of 8 percent.