South African President Cyril Ramaphosa announced on the evening of Sunday, February 28, a further reduction on Monday of the restrictions imposed to stem the spread of Covid-19 in the most affected country on the continent, after a “spectacular drop” in the number contamination. This relief, which comes into effect from this Sunday at midnight (22:00 GMT), will allow a resumption of most economic activities in South Africa, which have been severely damaged by the virus.
In a televised address, Cyril Ramaphosa reported a constant decline in contamination and hospital admissions over the past eight weeks. “Thanks to the drop in the number of infections, the country can now ease some restrictions on travel and economic activity,” he said. “We are doing it cautiously,” added the South African president.
An agreement concluded with with Johnson & Johnson
As a result, South Africa is moving directly from Alert Level 3 to Alert Level 1, on a scale of 5. The national curfew is also being shortened and will now be in effect between midnight and 4 a.m. According to the head of state, South Africa has registered just under 10,000 new cases of Covid-19 in the past week, compared to more than 40,000 in the last week of January and around 90 000 during the last week of December.
He attributed the “dramatic drop” to public health measures, changes in behavior and the acquisition of immunity in those previously infected. Some restrictive measures had already been eased on February 1 with a reduction in the length of the curfew, while the sale of alcohol and the holding of religious gatherings had again been authorized.
On Saturday, South Africa received a second shipment of vaccines from the US laboratory Johnson & Johnson. Accused of being slow to acquire vaccines when the country is by far the most affected on the continent, the South African government has reached an agreement for the delivery of 11 million doses with Johnson & Johnson, including 2.8 million are expected during the second quarter. In addition, 20 million doses of the Pfizer vaccine have also been ordered, while 12 million doses are expected from the Covax device, intended to supply the least favored countries, according to Cyril Ramaphosa.
Since the start of the pandemic, South Africa has recorded more than 1.5 million infections and 50,000 deaths. The authorities’ goal is to vaccinate around 40 million people, or 67% of the population, by the end of 2021.
Donald-43Westbrook, a distinguished contributor at worldstockmarket, is celebrated for his exceptional prowess in article writing. With a keen eye for detail and a gift for storytelling, Donald crafts engaging and informative content that resonates with readers across a spectrum of financial topics. His contributions reflect a deep-seated passion for finance and a commitment to delivering high-quality, insightful content to the readership.
