Faizel Patel – 26/05/2021
Veteran health activist Dr Aslam Dasoo says President Cyril Ramaphosa may address the nation soon as the number of COVID-19 infections continue to surge across the country.
Dasoo was speaking to Radio Islam on Wednesday about a resurgence in Coronavirus cases or third wave adding that the scale of the infections is deeply concerning.
It is possible that South Africa will see stricter COVID-19 protocols with the possibility of a Level 2 lockdown.
According to reports, the Ministerial Advisory Committee members are calling for increased Coronavirus restrictions amid a third wave.
The committee say South Africans have become too relaxed, leading to an uptick in infections countrywide.
Dasoo says President Ramaphosa is expected to address the nation soon on rising COVID-19 infections in the country.
“We can expect it to happen in the next few days. The government has now had time to learn how to more accurately apply risk-based strategy rather than just using the blunt instrument of different levels of restrictions. But I expect some restrictions will come into force anyway.”
Dasoo says the scientific consensus is clear, South Africans are not adhering to the social gatherings protocol.
He says the biggest danger is gatherings, which is the seed for super-spreader events and rate of transmission.
“One of the things that one expects that the president might say and which there is sufficient scientific support for is to prohibit all non-essential gatherings. Now that will also mean religious gatherings, social gatherings, parties, that sort of thing. It’s going to imperative that we do that so that we don’t have to then put such severe restrictions on the formal economy.”
Dasoo also says South Africa has “missed the boat” on vaccinating as many people as possible over the last few months.
“That would have had a significant impact on reducing the severity of this third wave.”
Over the past 24 hours, one hundred and two more people have passed away in South Africa after contracting the coronavirus while 3,084 infections were also detected over that period, with the caseload ballooning to 1 640 932.
The recovery rate is still at 94.1%, with 1 543 951 people having recuperated so far.
The Health Department says the total number of vaccines administered was 700,904 for healthcare workers and people over 60.
Listen to the interview with Dr. Aslam Dasoo
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