The Minister of Health Dr Joe Phaahla updated the country on the national COVID-19 response strategy and vaccine roll out plan. You can watch the briefing here
Key highlights from the briefing:
Vaccination Certificates:
- In about 1 week, vaccinated SAs will be issued with digital vaccination certificates
- The certificates can be uploaded onto smart phones + will be printable
- You can only get a certificate if your vax details are recorded on the EVDS
- Digital vaccination certificates for vaccinated people in SA will be protected from fraud, as far as possible and be in line with WHO requirements (WHO is standardising vaccine certificates for all countries to decrease the possibility of fraud)
- SA doesn’t currently require vaccine passports for travelers coming into the country. We only require PCR test results not older than 72 hours.
Latest stats:
- There has been a 24% drop in new #COVID19 cases, compared to the previous 7 days. But the WC (23.6% of new cases), NC, FS, KZN still have relatively proportions of new cases.
- Hospitalisations = decreased by 10% vs. the previous 7 days. WC has the highest #COVID hospitalisation rate. The WC is followed by FS and GP. Cases in GP = drastically dropped, but because people take time to fall ill, hospitalisations = still high in the province.
- Positivity rates (the % of tests coming out +) have decreased from 30% on mid-July to 12% on Thu. Gauteng has the lowest + rate = 4.4%. GP = the only province with a + rate below the WHO’s recommended rate of 5%.
- Gauteng and Limpopo have officially exited their third #COVID waves.
J& J Doses
- Supply is coming in slowly
- New J&J batches will go to rural provinces, e.g. NC, and Sassa payout points