News & Analysis: Policy responses
“The pandemic revealed significant gaps in early warning capabilities to detect and respond to emerging pathogens before they cause global harm. Given the current situation, how can we leverage existing systems and emerging technologies to better characterize the various risk factors that could signal the next pandemic?”
COVID-19 Africa Watch talks to State Minister Yasmin Wohabrebbi about the policy response to the pandemic, the efforts to develop the digital economy, and the G20 Debt Service Suspension Initiative (DSSI).
“‘After several months of low transmission, the number of infections has begun to rise sharply in several parts of the country,’ President Cyril Ramaphosa said in a televised address to the nation.”
“A new paper argues that it’s possible to end the ‘acute phase’ of the pandemic early next year by vaccinating 60% of the population of every country.”
“South Sudan’s National Task Force on COVID-19 is sending back 72,000 doses of AstraZeneca vaccine to the COVAX facility for use in other countries before the doses expire. South Sudan received 132,000 doses in late March from COVAX, a global coalition that works to ensure fair and equitable access of coronavirus vaccines worldwide.”
“Paid tours are what is left for the Batwa to continue their traditional ways as they did in the forest. The COVID-19 blow to tourism has greatly affected the incomes of many performers in the settlements.”
“The Seychelles needs to conduct urgent genome sequencing and surveillance to examine the effect of variants of concern and see whether the Indian variant is present. If the South African variant is dominant, the country needs to use a vaccine that works well against it.”
“Malawi has destroyed almost 20,000 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine, while South Sudan has 59,000 doses which it also plans to discard. The vaccines had been donated through the African Union but had not been administered by their expiry date of 13 April.”
“The steps we have taken aims at reducing the duration of the testing process. Following these comments, improvements have been made with the addition of service delivery areas including from two to 10 testing centers.”
“COVID-19 is reshaping our world in ways that require a redesign of our systems and changes in how we view our future. It is up to us as Africans to decide if we are to accept mere observer status or be a main player at the table.”
A hub for information, analysis, and the global response to COVID-19’s impact on Africa