The National Institute for Communicable Diseases says there were 5 372 new Covid-19 infections. KwaZulu-Natal accounted for 25% of yesterday’s new cases, followed by the Eastern Cape with 24% and the Western Cape with 18%. To date, more than 13.8-million vaccines have been administered.
Meanwhile, Government has significantly ramped up and changed its communications strategy to reduce vaccine-hesitancy. Director-General at the GCIS, Phumla Williams says vaccine-hesitancy is especially high in rural communities. She says messaging will now include scientific evidence & research, to educate residents about the safety of the vaccines. Williams says the covid-19 vaccination programme is the biggest in the country’s modern history.
Further afield
Cuba has started vaccinating children as young as two, in a world-first as it aims to get all kids inoculated before schools reopen. The country is using locally-produced Covid-19 vaccines that are not recognised by the World Health Organisation. The island of 11 million people is seeing a surge in new cases that are crippling its healthcare system.
