According to officials working to get doses for the continent, Africa is a few months away from getting the much-anticipated Covid-19 vaccine approved by the World Health Organization.
According to Dr Matshidiso Moeti, World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Director for Africa, “Africa is facing a second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic, with more than 3.3 million cases and 81,000 lives… sadly lost.”
“The first epidemic peaked in July, was surpassed in December and cases are continuing to accelerate at a significantly faster pace,” she said.
This second wave is primarily based in Southern Africa, but in countries, in other sub-regions, we have also seen some rises. We are also very aware of a new form of the virus that has been identified in South Africa and is circulating in many other countries. We follow closely the evidence that shows that it is more transmissible but does not seem to be more virulent until now. It’s more virulent.
Moeti said countries’ vaccine hoarding would prolong the pandemic ordeal and hinder recovery not only in Africa but for the entire world as well. She added that if the most vulnerable Africans are forced to wait for vaccinations when lower-risk communities are made healthy in wealthier nations, it would be fundamentally unfair.
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Data source: All Africa news