
<p><strong>TOPLINE</strong> The World Health Organization <a href="https://www.who.int/publications/m/item/weekly-epidemiological-update-on-covid-19---31-august-2021" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">said</a> it has identified a new coronavirus “variant of interest,” named mu—also known by its scientific name, B.1.621—in its weekly pandemic update Tuesday, warning it was becoming increasingly prevalent in Colombia and Ecuador and shows signs of possible resistance to vaccines.  </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-facts">KEY FACTS</h2>



<p>Since mu was first identified in Colombia in January 2021, there have been “sporadic reports” of cases and outbreaks in South America and Europe, the WHO said.&nbsp;</p>



<p>While the global prevalence of mu among sequenced Covid-19 cases has fallen below 0.1%, the WHO said its prevalence has “consistently increased” in Colombia and Ecuador, where it is now responsible for around 39% and 13% of infections, respectively.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Reports on the variant’s prevalence should be “interpreted with due consideration” given the low sequencing capacity of most countries, the agency said.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Mu has a number of mutations that suggest it could be more resistant to vaccines, the health agency warned, but said further research would be needed to confirm this.</p>



<p>Preliminary data show a reduced effectiveness of vaccines “similar to that seen for the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2021/07/19/health/beta-variant-covid-19.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">beta</a>&nbsp;variant,” the WHO said.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-background">KEY BACKGROUND</h2>



<p>All viruses mutate over time and most mutations have little to no impact on the virus’ behavior. The WHO keeps&nbsp;<a href="https://www.who.int/en/activities/tracking-SARS-CoV-2-variants/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">track</a>&nbsp;of “variants of interest,” those which have mutations “predicted or known to affect virus characteristics” like transmissibility, resistance to vaccines and disease severity. Mu is the fifth variant of interest to be monitored by the WHO since March. There are also four “variants of concern” the health agency tracks—alpha, beta, gamma and delta—which, in addition to meeting the criteria to be a variant of interest, have more significant changes, such as reducing the effectiveness of vaccines. The WHO&nbsp;<a href="https://www.who.int/news/item/31-05-2021-who-announces-simple-easy-to-say-labels-for-sars-cov-2-variants-of-interest-and-concern" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">introduced</a>&nbsp;a naming convention concerning variants in May to avoid the stigma and consequences when a variant is named after where it was first discovered.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-to-watch-for">WHAT TO WATCH FOR</h2>



<p>While wealthy countries hoard limited vaccine supplies for booster campaigns, many parts of the world have not yet had a chance to begin vaccinating. Limited vaccine coverage and the rapid spread of the coronavirus makes an&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/roberthart/2021/08/18/stockpiling-vaccines-risks-new-variants-emerging-and-rising-covid-cases-study-finds-as-us-readies-booster-campaign/?sh=3a255afa132a">ideal</a>&nbsp;environment for new virus variants to emerge. The WHO said it would be monitoring “the epidemiology of the mu variant in South America, particularly with the co-circulation of the delta variant… for changes”</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-big-number">BIG NUMBER</h2>



<p>3,857. That’s how many genome sequences—analyzed samples of the virus taken from patients that can be used to track how it moves through the population—on&nbsp;<a href="https://www.gisaid.org/hcov19-variants/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">GISAID</a>, an open source genome repository, have been designated as mu in the past four weeks. The vast majority of these—1,544—have been reported in the U.S., and Colombia (844), Mexico (352) and Spain (351) also report a high number of sequences. This figure will be affected by both sequencing capacity, surveillance and the total number of cases in an area.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-further-reading">FURTHER READING</h2>



<p><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/roberthart/2021/07/23/a-new-covid-variant-is-being-investigated-in-the-uk-after-being-detected-in-countries-including-the-us-and-japan/?sh=6631f8a03298">A New Covid Variant Is Being Investigated In The U.K. After Being Detected In Countries Including The U.S. And Japan</a>&nbsp;(Forbes)</p>



<p><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/williamhaseltine/2021/08/12/a-new-killer-on-the-loose-b1621/?sh=44e2aacf3d1f">A New Covid Variant On The Loose: B.1.621</a>&nbsp;(Forbes)</p>



<p><a href="https://www.statnews.com/2021/08/30/inside-pfizer-labs-variant-hunters-race-to-stay-ahead-of-pandemic-2/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Inside Pfizer’s labs, ‘variant hunters’ race to stay ahead of the pandemic’s next twist</a> (STAT News)</p>



<p><strong><em>By Robert Hart, Forbes Staff</em></strong></p>


Scientist in a protective suit holds and compares two different Coronavirus of different color in his hands. Creative image.

WHO Tracking New Covid Variant Named Mu, Warns It Could Be More Resistant To Vaccine


<p><strong>TOPLINE</strong>: The Chinese government on Thursday rejected the World Health Organisation’s plan for the second phase of investigation into the origins of Covid-19—which will also examine the possibility that the virus may have escaped from a Wuhan lab—signaling further politicization of the investigation that has previously been hampered by Beijing’s unwillingness to share important data.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-facts">KEY FACTS</h3>



<p>Zeng Yixin, the vice minister of China’s National Health Commission (NHC), told reporters he was “shocked” by the plan to investigate the lab leak hypothesis and said “it is impossible for us to accept such an origin-tracing plan.”</p>



<p><a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-china-coronavirus-pandemic-united-nations-a20391afec60601f3d666efc3c18b61d" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">According to</a>&nbsp;the Associated Press, Zeng dismissed the theory as a rumor “that runs counter to common sense and science.”</p>



<p>Responding to the WHO’s earlier statement about the investigation being hampered by the lack of raw data from Chinese authorities, Zeng reiterated Beijing’s stance that some data could not be completely shared due to privacy concerns.</p>



<p>Zeng insisted that the Wuhan Institute of Virology’s labs have no virus that can directly infect humans and noted that a WHO-led team of experts had visited the lab earlier this year and concluded that a leak was highly unlikely.</p>



<p>The vice minister also dismissed&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/intelligence-on-sick-staff-at-wuhan-lab-fuels-debate-on-covid-19-origin-11621796228?reflink=share_mobilewebshare" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">media reports</a>&nbsp;that staff and graduate students at the institute had fallen sick due to the virus and then transmitted it to others.</p>



<p>The vocal push back from Beijing comes a week after WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus called for better cooperation from China and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-world-news-health-science-coronavirus-pandemic-c0c594f9060f676c0ea48c2d1c69daec" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">noted</a>&nbsp;that there had been a “premature push” to rule out the lab leak theory.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-background">KEY BACKGROUND</h3>



<p>In March, the World Health Organization and China&nbsp;<a href="https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/who-convened-global-study-of-origins-of-sars-cov-2-china-part" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">published</a>&nbsp;a joint study that offered preliminary insight into the origin of the SARS-CoV2 coronavirus. The report suggested that the outbreak was likely caused by the virus jumping from bats to humans through an intermediary animal and also labeled the lab leak hypothesis as “extremely unlikely.” It was&nbsp;<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/mar/30/who-criticises-chinas-data-sharing-as-it-releases-covid-origins-report" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">sharply criticized</a>&nbsp;by the U.S., U.K., Canada and several other countries who accused China of “withholding access to complete original data and samples”. The lab leak theory—initially pushed by fringe groups—has seen a rise in mainstream interest after President Joe Biden&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/jackbrewster/2021/05/26/biden-says-intelligence-agencies-have-coalesced-around-two-likely-scenarios-for-origin-of-covid-19/?sh=266488003fb2">ordered</a>&nbsp;U.S. intelligence agencies to examine the origin of the pandemic in May. U.S. intelligence agencies have two prevailing theories at the moment with branches believing that it was transmitted from animals, while another branch believes it came from a lab at the Wuhan Institute of Virology, which does research work on bat viruses.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-further-reading">FURTHER READING</h3>



<p><a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-china-coronavirus-pandemic-united-nations-a20391afec60601f3d666efc3c18b61d" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">China rebuffs WHO’s terms for further COVID-19 origins study</a>&nbsp;(Associated Press)</p>



<p><a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/china/china-will-not-follow-whos-suggested-plan-2nd-phase-covid-19-origins-study-2021-07-22/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">China rejects WHO plan for study of COVID-19 origin</a> (Reuters)</p>



<p><em><strong>By Siladitya Ray, Forbes Staff</strong></em></p>


News Conference On Chinese Vaccines Against COVID-19 In Beijing

China ‘Shocked’ By WHO’s Plan To Investigate Covid-19 Lab Leak Theory


<p id="h-topline"><strong>TOPLINE</strong> Pfizer’s coronavirus vaccine staved off illness and death for over 95% of Israeli patients, according to government figures released Saturday from a report reviewed by multiple news outlets, encouraging news from the world’s most heavily vaccinated country.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-facts">KEY FACTS</h3>



<ul><li>Israel’s Ministry of Health studied the roughly 1.7 million Israelis who had received both shots of Pfizer’s vaccine as of the end of last month, and released a report later obtained by <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-israel-vaccine/covid-infections-dropped-95-8-after-both-pfizer-shots-israeli-health-ministry-idUSKBN2AK0NC" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Reuters</a> and several <a href="https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/vaccine-close-to-99-percent-effective-in-preventing-death-latest-israeli-data-shows-1.9555313" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">local</a> <a href="https://www.timesofisrael.com/israel-says-vaccine-dramatically-effective-prevents-98-9-of-covid-deaths/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">news</a> <a href="https://www.i24news.tv/en/news/israel/1613844321-israel-coronavirus-vaccine-almost-96-percent-effective-in-preventing-disease" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">outlets</a>. </li></ul>



<ul><li>Two weeks after receiving both doses, vaccinated Israelis were 95.8% less likely to fall ill from Covid-19 and 98.9% less likely to face hospitalization or death, Reuters reported.</li></ul>



<ul><li>This report follows a spate of good news from Israel: The country’s main healthcare provider <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-israel-vaccine-idUSKBN2AE0Q2?taid=60298276a77dbd00013d1f6c&amp;utm_campaign=trueAnthem:+Trending+Content&amp;utm_medium=trueAnthem&amp;utm_source=twitter" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">said Sunday</a> vaccinated patients are 92% less likely to end up with serious Covid-19 cases than their unvaccinated peers, and a <a href="https://www.thelancet.com/action/showPdf?pii=S0140-6736%2821%2900448-7" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">non-peer reviewed study</a> Thursday found just one dose of the vaccine reduces the <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/roberthart/2021/02/19/single-shot-of-pfizer-biontech-covid-19-vaccine-is-85-effective-study-finds/?sh=52725c173969">risk of infection</a> by 75% after two weeks.</li></ul>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-big-number">BIG NUMBER</h3>



<p>32.4%. That’s the share of Israelis who are fully vaccinated as of Saturday, according to the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2021/world/covid-vaccinations-tracker.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><em>New York Times</em></a>’ tracker. The country ranks first in the world for vaccinations, compared to the United States’ 5.1% immunization rate.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-background">KEY BACKGROUND</h3>



<p>Israel is leading the worldwide vaccination race, partly&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/jemimamcevoy/2021/01/04/why-israel-is-leading-the-world-in-covid-vaccinations-and-the-us-is-trailing/?sh=6408ca0b1592">due to</a>&nbsp;the country’s small size,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2021/01/why-israels-vaccine-success-might-be-hard-replicate/617780/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">speed</a>&nbsp;in buying up doses and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2020/12/31/covid-vaccine-israel-says-its-inoculated-7percent-of-its-population-its-less-than-1percent-in-us.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">comprehensive network</a>&nbsp;of HMOs (the effort&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/04/world/middleeast/israel-palestinians-vaccine.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">controversially</a>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/55800921" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">doesn’t include</a>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/pa-says-israel-has-agreed-to-vaccinate-palestinian-workers-against-covid-1.9553781" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">most</a>&nbsp;residents of the West Bank and Gaza Strip). Public health authorities around the world are&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/05/world/middleeast/israel-virus-vaccination.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">watching Israel’s progress closely</a>, making the country the planet’s largest test case for the impact of mass-vaccination. So far, experts say there’s reason for cautious optimism: cases and hospitalizations have&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-02-05/israel-s-pioneering-covid-vaccination-program-offers-key-lessons" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">declined for</a>&nbsp;<a href="https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/region/israel" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">several weeks</a>.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-crucial-quote">CRUCIAL QUOTE</h3>



<p>“Israel has a remarkable diminution in cases associated with the efficiency of their vaccine,” U.S. infectious disease expert Dr. Anthony Fauci <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/press-briefings/2021/02/17/press-briefing-by-white-house-covid-19-response-team-and-public-health-officials-4/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">said Wednesday</a>.</p>



<p><em>By Joe Walsh, Forbes Staff</em></p>


ISRAEL-HEALTH-VIRUS-VACCINE

Pfizer’s Covid Vaccine Over 95% Effective In Israel, New Study Reportedly Shows


<p><strong>TOPLINE</strong>: The number of new Covid-19 cases around the world fell for the fifth consecutive week last week, the World Health Organization <a href="https://www.who.int/publications/m/item/weekly-epidemiological-update---16-february-2021" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">said</a>, dropping 16% to 2.7 million new cases, though infectious new variants of the virus continue to spread to new regions of the world. </p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-facts">KEY FACTS</h3>



<ul><li>In the space of five weeks, the number of new Covid-19 cases reported around the world has almost halved, the WHO said in its weekly epidemiological report Tuesday. </li></ul>



<ul><li>Of the six regions the WHO divides the world into, only one, the Eastern Mediterranean, reported a (7%) rise in cases last week, with all others reporting double digit declines.   </li></ul>



<ul><li>The number of new deaths reported around the world also fell 10% from last week to 81,000, the WHO said, which used figures up to Sunday.</li></ul>



<ul><li>WHO chief Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus <a href="https://twitter.com/DrTedros/status/1361401367743655942?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">said</a> Monday the global progress “shows that simple public health measures work, even in the presence of variants.” </li></ul>



<ul><li>“What matters now is how we respond to this trend,” he said, stressing that the “fire is not out… (and that) if we stop fighting it on any front, it will come roaring back.”</li></ul>



<ul><li>The agency is still monitoring the spread of numerous Covid-19 variants—including those first identified in South Africa, the U.K. and Brazil—which have each spread to new countries.  </li></ul>



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">This shows that simple public health measures work against <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/COVID19?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#COVID19</a>, even in the presence of variants. What matters now is how we respond to this trend. The fire is not out, but we have reduced its size. If we stop fighting it on any front, it will come roaring back.</p>&mdash; Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus (@DrTedros) <a href="https://twitter.com/DrTedros/status/1361401367743655942?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 15, 2021</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tangent">TANGENT</h3>



<p>By a substantial margin, the United States recorded the highest number of new cases (673,670) and deaths (21,412) from the virus last week, although these figures were down 23% and 5% from the previous week respectively.&nbsp;</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-background">KEY BACKGROUND</h3>



<p>Many countries around the world are starting to ramp up vaccination drives, with Israel and the United Arab Emirates having&nbsp;<a href="https://ourworldindata.org/covid-vaccinations" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">inoculated</a>&nbsp;a significant portion of the population. There are fears that poorer countries will be left without supplies as the rich hoard them—something Tedros has&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/roberthart/2020/10/26/who-warns-of-dangerous-moment-amid-spike-in-covid-19-cases/?sh=4cd61d56244c">termed</a>&nbsp;vaccine nationalism—though the WHO’s recent&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/alisondurkee/2021/02/15/astrazeneca-oxford-covid-19-vaccine-gets-emergency-approval-from-who/?sh=4bc5cd3c3953">approval</a>&nbsp;of AstraZeneca’s shot, a much cheaper and more easily transported product, is cause for optimism.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-to-watch-for">WHAT TO WATCH FOR</h3>



<p>The WHO is keeping an eye on new variants of the novel coronavirus, though warned that approximately 70% of its genomic sequences come from just three countries (U.S., U.K. and Denmark).</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-further-reading">FURTHER READING</h3>



<p><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/feb/17/new-global-covid-cases-fell-16-last-week-says-who" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">New global Covid cases fell 16% last week, says WHO</a>&nbsp;(Guardian)</p>



<p><a href="https://www.who.int/publications/m/item/weekly-epidemiological-update---16-february-2021" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Weekly epidemiological update &#8211; 16 February 2021</a>&nbsp;(WHO)</p>



<p><a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2021/02/14/why-coronavirus-cases-are-dropping/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Four reasons experts say coronavirus cases are dropping in the United States</a> (Washington Post)</p>



<p><em>By Robert Hart,Forbes Staff</em></p>


SWITZERLAND-VIRUS-HEALTH-FOUNTAIN

New Covid-19 Cases Around The World Dropped 16% Last Week, World Health Organization Says


<p id="h-topline"><strong>TOPLINE</strong> Someone who is fully vaccinated who’s exposed to coronavirus doesn’t have to quarantine, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/covid-19/info-by-product/clinical-considerations.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">said&nbsp;</a>Wednesday, offering clarity into how vaccinated people should go about their lives as the rest of the country waits to get inoculated.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-facts">KEY FACTS</h4>



<ul><li>In the new guidance, the CDC said people who have received both doses of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine and are currently asymptomatic are no longer required to quarantine for two weeks.</li></ul>



<ul><li>It can take up to two weeks to develop immunity after the last dose, so the CDC says people should still quarantine if it has been less than two weeks since their last shot.</li></ul>



<ul><li>However, the free pass on quarantining only applies to those who received their second shot within the last three months, since it’s unclear as of yet how long protection lasts.</li></ul>



<ul><li>The CDC still says that vaccinated people should continue to wear masks and social distance because the vaccine isn’t 100% effective and it&nbsp;<a href="https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/vaccines/vaccines-faq" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">doesn’t prevent</a>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/brucelee/2021/01/16/rand-paul-says-throw-your-mask-away-after-covid-19-vaccination-dont-do-that/?sh=6dc3f0b07ccf">asymptomatic&nbsp;</a><a href="https://www.cnn.com/2021/02/02/health/covid-19-vaccine-why-people-still-test-positive/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">illness</a>.</li></ul>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-crucial-quote">CRUCIAL QUOTE</h4>



<p>“Individual and societal benefits of avoiding unnecessary quarantine may outweigh the potential but unknown risk of transmission, and facilitate the direction of public health resources to persons at highest risk for transmitting SARS-CoV-2 to others,” the CDC said.</p>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-background">KEY BACKGROUND</h4>



<p>There have been a few publicized cases of individuals testing positive for the virus even after they have been vaccinated, including Rep.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/stephen-lynch-covid-19-positive-vaccine/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Steve Lynch</a>&nbsp;(D-Ma.) and a California man who&nbsp;<a href="https://losangeles.cbslocal.com/2021/02/09/orange-county-man-tests-positive-covid-19-vaccine/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">tested&nbsp;</a>positive three weeks after getting his second dose of the Pfizer vaccine. Still,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/leahrosenbaum/2021/01/29/some-experts-claim-covid-19-reinfections-are-not-a-huge-problem-but-nobodys-tracking-the-numbers/?sh=368ea41b1915">no one</a>&nbsp;is keeping track of reinfections, so it’s unclear how widespread the issue is.</p>



<p><em>By Rachel Sandler, Forbes Staff</em></p>


PALESTINIAN-HEALTH-VIRUS-VACCINE

Fully Vaccinated People Don’t Have To Quarantine If They’re Exposed To Coronavirus, CDC Says


<p id="h-topline"><strong>TOPLINE</strong> South Africa has dropped plans to roll out the Oxford-AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine after a new analysis suggests the shot provides “minimal protection” against mild disease from the new variant circulating in the country—the country will possibly sell the doses and instead distribute the unauthorized Johnson &amp; Johnson vaccine to frontline healthcare workers, a move that runs counter to advice from experts who believe the shot is still of value in preventing severe disease.</p>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-facts">KEY FACTS</h4>



<ul><li>Health Minister Zweli Mkhize <a href="https://apnews.com/article/world-news-coronavirus-pandemic-africa-south-africa-coronavirus-vaccine-3f54526ca5bfca84eadfaeaea5ade5d5" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">said</a> South Africa had abandoned plans to use the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine as it “does not prevent mild to moderate disease” caused by the variant circulating in the country.</li></ul>



<ul><li>The rollout was first suspended Sunday after a small study that had not undergone peer review and did not evaluate the vaccine’s protection against severe disease, a key metric of success, suggested it provided “minimal protection” against mild disease from the variant.</li></ul>



<ul><li>Instead, Mkhize said South Africa might <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-safrica-idUSKBN2AA0G2?taid=602387f7496f1e00010ad0aa&amp;utm_campaign=trueanthem&amp;utm_medium=trueanthem&amp;utm_source=twitter" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">sell</a> or swap its 1.5 million Oxford-AstraZeneca shots—something he said has been discussed with the Covax alliance for equitable vaccine distribution worldwide, through which South Africa has acquired some of its shots—and deploy the Johnson &amp; Johnson single-shot vaccine to frontline healthcare workers.</li></ul>



<ul><li>The World Health Organization, along with the study’s lead author and a number of other health organizations, has <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-02-08/astra-s-covid-shot-still-useful-in-variant-hit-areas-who-says" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">urged</a> South Africa not to dismiss the Oxford-AstraZeneca shot too soon, stressing its ability to help prevent severe cases of the disease. </li></ul>



<ul><li>Though the Johnson &amp; Johnson vaccine has not been authorized for use in any country yet, Mkhize said it is safe and was in the process of being approved in South Africa and would be initially distributed as part of an “implementation study.”</li></ul>



<ul><li>“The Johnson &amp; Johnson vaccine has been proven effective against the 501Y.V2 variant and the necessary approval processes for use in South Africa are underway,” Mkhize said.</li></ul>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-chief-critic">CHIEF CRITIC&nbsp;</h4>



<p>Shabir Madhi, lead investigator of the study prompting the policy change and a professor at the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-02-09/s-africa-s-madhi-says-astrazeneca-vaccine-should-be-used" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">urged</a>&nbsp;the country not to be “reckless” in how it deals with the Oxford-AstraZeneca shot. “It’s going to have global repercussions,” he added.&nbsp;“The toss-up is going to be between no vaccine or a vaccine that’s got a high likelihood of preventing severe disease and death,” he&nbsp;<a href="https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2021/02/08/965390228/why-south-africa-is-putting-the-astrozeneca-vaccine-on-hold" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">said</a>.</p>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tangent">TANGENT</h4>



<p>A new&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/siladityaray/2021/02/03/astrazeneca-vaccine-helps-slow-covid-19-transmission-first-dose-76-effective-for-at-least-three-months-study-finds/?sh=14c3d9de1745">study</a>&nbsp;has found that the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine could lead to a significant drop in the spread of Covid-19 in the U.K.. As well as slowing the spread of the virus, scientists found a single dose of AstraZeneca’s Covid-19 vaccine is 76% effective in preventing symptomatic infection after three months of receiving the shot, a finding that validates the U.K. government’s current approach of delaying the second dose.</p>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-background">KEY BACKGROUND</h4>



<p>The emergence of new Covid-19 variants capable of evading, at least partially, the protection conferred by vaccines is another indication the novel coronavirus could be a permanent fixture in the future. World Health Organization chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/un-news-vaccine-may-not-work-variants-7950427023f7883e0c2d33998aafb279" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">said</a>&nbsp;Monday that South Africa’s decision is “a reminder that we need to do everything we can to reduce circulation of the virus with proven public health measures” and that vaccine manufacturers will need to adjust their vaccines going forward. Several, Oxford-AstraZeneca included, are already&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/roberthart/2021/02/03/next-gen-vaccine-for-covid-19-mutants-will-be-ready-by-fall-astrazeneca-says/?sh=3a78fd947b94">developing</a>&nbsp;booster shots to account for the new variants.</p>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-to-watch-for">WHAT TO WATCH FOR</h4>



<p>Other countries in the region may follow South Africa’s lead in swapping the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine for something else. On Tuesday, the health minister for neighboring eSwatini&nbsp;<a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/health-coronavirus-eswatini/update-1-eswatini-will-not-use-astrazeneca-vaccine-after-safrica-trial-data-idUSL1N2KF2DZ" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">said</a>&nbsp;it would no longer use the vaccine.</p>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-further-reading">FURTHER READING</h4>



<p><a href="https://apnews.com/article/world-news-coronavirus-pandemic-africa-south-africa-coronavirus-vaccine-3f54526ca5bfca84eadfaeaea5ade5d5" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">South Africa scraps AstraZeneca vaccine, will give J&amp;J jabs</a>&nbsp;(AP)</p>



<p><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/roberthart/2021/02/08/south-africa-halts-astrazeneca-covid-19-vaccine-after-study-shows-minimal-protection-against-local-variant/?sh=2016bf78461a">South Africa Halts AstraZeneca Covid-19 Vaccine After Study Shows ‘Minimal Protection’ Against Local Variant</a>&nbsp;(Forbes)</p>



<p><a href="https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2021/02/08/965390228/why-south-africa-is-putting-the-astrozeneca-vaccine-on-hold" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Why South Africa Is Putting The AstraZeneca Vaccine On Hold</a>&nbsp;(NPR)</p>



<p><a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-safrica-idUSKBN2AA0G2?taid=602387f7496f1e00010ad0aa&amp;utm_campaign=trueanthem&amp;utm_medium=trueanthem&amp;utm_source=twitter" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">South Africa says selling or swapping AstraZeneca doses are options</a> (Reuters)</p>



<p><em>By Robert Hart, Forbes Staff</em></p>


South African Minister Zweli Mkhize conducts an inspection of King Dinuzulu Hospital

South Africa Abandons Oxford-AstraZeneca Covid-19 Vaccine In Favor Of Unapproved Johnson & Johnson Shot


<p id="h-topline"><strong>TOPLINE</strong> The World Health Organization team investigating the origins of Covid-19 has not been able to uncover the source of the virus or meaningfully change our understanding of the pandemic, the group said Tuesday, though it did rule out the idea commonly touted by former President Trump that the virus escaped from a Wuhan laboratory. </p>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-facts">KEY FACTS</h4>



<ul><li>In a joint press conference led by members of WHO and Chinese delegations, experts said their two weeks in the field had uncovered new information but had not dramatically changed the picture of the pandemic. </li></ul>



<ul><li>Peter Ben Embarek, who chaired the WHO team, <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/feb/09/wuhan-laboratory-leak-covid-origin-theory-unlikely-says-who-team" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">said</a> the theory that the virus escaped from a Wuhan lab is “extremely unlikely” and does not merit further study, pointing to a lack of work on similar viruses “anywhere in the world” and a strong set of lab procedures making it “very unlikely that anything could escape from that place.”</li></ul>



<ul><li>Embarek said the most likely hypothesis remains the virus entering humans through an intermediary species—evidence suggests this could be bats or pangolins—but said the group was unable to identify a natural animal reservoir for the virus and further research would be needed.  </li></ul>



<ul><li>Embarek said further work was also needed to evaluate two other theories, such as whether the virus could have entered into humans from an animal reservoir directly or if frozen products were involved “in the introduction of the virus over a distance”. </li></ul>



<ul><li>According to the <em>Guardian</em>, the Chinese delegation, which spoke first, heavily emphasized the latter theory, in fitting with ongoing efforts by officials to <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/nov/29/a-year-after-wuhan-alarm-china-seeks-to-change-covid-origin-story" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">relocate</a> the virus’ origins overseas.  </li></ul>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-we-don-t-know">WHAT WE DON’T KNOW</h4>



<p>After months of tense buildup and diplomatic back and forth to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/roberthart/2021/01/11/china-finally-green-lights-who-investigation-into-coronavirus-origins-as-daily-covid-19-cases-spike-to-five-month-high/?sh=3f87ad3b6511">greenlight</a>&nbsp;the WHO investigation, the origins of Covid-19 remain a mystery. It is unclear whether further investigations will receive approval from the authorities, and despite its continued claims of cooperation for the mission, China repeatedly refused to authorize a visit and even&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/roberthart/2021/01/06/who-chief-very-disappointed-as-china-blocks-entry-of-experts-studying-origins-of-covid-19/?sh=7ee973c347d4">blocked</a>&nbsp;the team’s arrival as they were leaving their home countries. It now says its side of the investigation is over, adding that this is just the “first part” of the WHO’s “global origin tracing work.”&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-background">KEY BACKGROUND</h4>



<p>Amid manifold failures and mounting criticism, China became a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/andrewsolender/2020/04/25/republicans-see-attacks-on-china-as-a-winning-strategy-for-2020/#52bc901a3473">target</a>&nbsp;for Trump and Republicans looking to cast blame for the Covid-19 crisis in the United States. Beyond the virus being first detected there, the former President and his officials repeatedly pushed, without evidence, the idea that the virus also&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/jackbrewster/2020/05/10/a-timeline-of-the-covid-19-wuhan-lab-origin-theory/?sh=7589d49b5aba">leaked</a>&nbsp;from a lab in Wuhan. Trump once said he had a “high degree of confidence” in the Wuhan lab theory, while Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said there was “enormous evidence” the claim was true.&nbsp;</p>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-further-reading">FURTHER READING</h4>



<p><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/feb/09/wuhan-laboratory-leak-covid-origin-theory-unlikely-says-who-team" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Wuhan laboratory leak Covid origin theory &#8216;unlikely&#8217;, says WHO team</a>&nbsp;(Guardian)</p>



<p><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/jackbrewster/2020/05/10/a-timeline-of-the-covid-19-wuhan-lab-origin-theory/?sh=7589d49b5aba">A Timeline Of The COVID-19 Wuhan Lab Origin Theory</a>&nbsp;(Forbes)</p>



<p><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/roberthart/2021/01/11/china-finally-green-lights-who-investigation-into-coronavirus-origins-as-daily-covid-19-cases-spike-to-five-month-high/?sh=3f87ad3b6511">China Finally Green Lights WHO Investigation Into Coronavirus Origins As Daily Covid-19 Cases Spike To Five-Month High</a>&nbsp;(Forbes)</p>



<p><em>By Robert Hart, Forbes Staff</em></p>


CHINA-HEALTH-VIRUS

Wuhan Lab Theory ‘Extremely Unlikely’ Covid-19 Source, WHO Concludes—Correcting A Trump White House Claim


<p id="h-topline"><strong>TOPLINE</strong> A Covid-19 vaccine candidate from Novavax offers strong protection against a more contagious coronavirus variant first discovered in the United Kingdom, but it’s somewhat less effective against a rapidly spreading mutation from South Africa, according to <a href="https://ir.novavax.com/news-releases/news-release-details/novavax-covid-19-vaccine-demonstrates-893-efficacy-uk-phase-3" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">early data</a> released Thursday, marking the latest vaccine to face some efficacy issues as new strains of the virus evolve.</p>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-facts">KEY FACTS</h4>



<p>Novavax’s vaccine, which hasn’t been approved for use yet, was 89.3% effective in the United Kingdom, according to data from a phase 3 trial in that country (it was 86% effective against the new U.K. variant and 96% effective for&nbsp;<a href="https://ir.novavax.com/static-files/e8c12211-6544-4106-b8fb-2b74a9a01265" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">other forms</a>&nbsp;of the virus).</p>



<p>In a smaller study in South Africa, a country dominated by a highly contagious new coronavirus variant, the vaccine was just 49.4% effective, though its efficacy jumped by more than 10 points for patients who are HIV-negative.</p>



<p>Following the announcement, Novavax’s&nbsp;<a href="https://finance.yahoo.com/quote/NVAX?p=NVAX&amp;.tsrc=fin-srch" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">share price</a>&nbsp;rose 29.2% in after-hours trading to $173.11.</p>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-to-watch-for">WHAT TO WATCH FOR</h4>



<p>Novavax says it’s working on a new version of the vaccine that could offer stronger immunity against the South Africa variant, and it&nbsp;<a href="https://ir.novavax.com/static-files/e8c12211-6544-4106-b8fb-2b74a9a01265" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">hopes to launch trials</a>&nbsp;in the second quarter of this year. Still, in a conference call Thursday, executives cast the South Africa results as proof its vaccine offers some protection against an increasingly common strain of the virus.</p>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-background">KEY BACKGROUND</h4>



<p>In recent months, more contagious new coronavirus strains have torn through the United Kingdom, Brazil and South Africa and quickly spread to dozens of other countries including&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/carlieporterfield/2021/01/28/more-contagious-uk-coronavirus-strain-has-been-detected-in-over-half-of-us-states/">the</a>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/rachelsandler/2021/01/25/first-known-case-of-brazilian-covid-19-variant-identified-in-us/">United</a>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/joewalsh/2021/01/28/first-us-cases-of-south-africa-coronavirus-strain-discovered-in-south-carolina/">States</a>. Some experts are concerned existing vaccines could offer less protection against new forms of the virus. Novavax isn’t the only vaccine developer to watch these new variants closely:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.npr.org/sections/coronavirus-live-updates/2021/01/25/960341384/moderna-finds-covid-19-vaccine-less-effective-against-variant-found-in-south-afr" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Moderna</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/pfizer-vaccine-only-slightly-less-effective-against-key-parts-south-n1255959" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Pfizer</a>&nbsp;say their vaccines (which are currently being distributed in the United States) appear to be slightly less effective in South Africa than in the United Kingdom, leading Moderna to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/siladityaray/2021/01/25/moderna-launches-trial-for-covid-19-vaccine-booster-to-tackle-south-african-strain/?sh=57ae6970737b">start developing</a>&nbsp;a booster to improve immunity against the South Africa variant.</p>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-surprising-fact">SURPRISING FACT</h4>



<p>Seasonal flu vaccines often have efficacy rates below 50%, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/flu/vaccines-work/2019-2020.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">data</a>&nbsp;from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.</p>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tangent">TANGENT</h4>



<p>Novavax says it plans on starting the approval process with regulators soon. The Gaithersburg, Md.-based biotech company, which specializes in vaccines, will likely ask for authorization in the United Kingdom first, executives said, and it has begun speaking with regulators in the United States, where a phase 3 trial&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nih.gov/news-events/news-releases/phase-3-trial-novavax-investigational-covid-19-vaccine-opens" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">kicked off last year</a>&nbsp;and is&nbsp;<a href="https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04611802?term=novavax&amp;draw=2&amp;rank=2" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">expected to wrap up</a>&nbsp;in March. Novavax has&nbsp;<a href="https://ir.novavax.com/news-releases/news-release-details/novavax-announces-16-billion-funding-operation-warp-speed" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">agreed to produce</a>&nbsp;100 million doses for U.S. patients, part of a deal struck through Operation Warp Speed last year.</p>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-crucial-quote">CRUCIAL QUOTE</h4>



<p>“We look forward to continuing to work with our partners, collaborators, investigators and regulators around the world to make the vaccine available as quickly as possible,” Novavax CEO Stanley Erck said in a statement Thursday.</p>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-further-reading">FURTHER READING</h4>



<p><a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/novavax-vaccine-is-89-effective-against-covid-19-in-u-k-study-11611867720" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Novavax Vaccine Is 89% Effective Against Covid-19 in U.K. Study (Wall Street Journal)</a></p>



<p><em>-by Joe Walsh, Forbes Staff</em></p>


Middlesbrough Pharmacy Rolls Out Covid Vaccine Programme

Novavax Covid Vaccine Is Highly Effective Against U.K. Variant But Struggled In South Africa, Data Shows


<p><strong>Only 27, Ofentse Pitse owns and conducts an orchestra in South Africa, rewriting the soundtrack for the region’s abundant though overlooked musical talent. But the pandemic has made performing together a logistical conundrum.</strong></p>



<p class="has-drop-cap">IF IT REQUIRES 10,000 HOURS OF dedication to master an instrument, it takes someone of harmonic resolve to become the conductor of a 45-piece orchestra, and 30-member choir, by the age of 27. Ofentse Pitse is the owner of Anchored Sound, the Johannesburg-based, all-black phenomenon rewriting aspiration’s soundtrack for the region’s abundant but overlooked musical talent.</p>



<p>The first black South African woman to own and conduct an orchestra was playing the flugelhorn, a gift from an uncle, by the age of 12 (her grandfather was the trumpeter and jazz conductor Otto Pitse); her nascent talent and determination were nurtured by the Salvation Army band in her home town of Mabopane, Pretoria, the capital of South Africa.</p>



<p>“In the beginning, the dream was a silent dream,” she says. “I didn’t really share my ideas, I was just thinking of how far I wanted to go. I didn’t see enough representation in the brass band at church. I thought to myself, ‘hang on, I’ve not seen enough girls’! That was a leadership step.”</p>



<p>A formative experience at school then sparked a natural instinct for transgressive innovation.</p>



<p>“I remember one day just wanting to touch the piano in the music department,” she says. “And being told, ‘no, you can’t touch the piano’. That made me feel so small. My argument will always be that you have to<br>be what you want to see; you cannot fight a system if you are not willing to challenge it yourself.”</p>



<p>Out of this frustration, Anchored Sound was born, named after the Biblical metaphor of hope as the anchor of the soul. The choir and orchestra, supported by Pitse, with funds from her own architectural practice, perform everything from Sibelius to Vivaldi to Dvořák, with Pitse’s leadership in turn bolstered by mentorship from the University of Pretoria Symphony Orchestra conductor, Gerben Grooten.</p>



<p>“I told him that if we need to do the very hard pieces, we are going to do the very hard pieces,” she says. “So we do. It’s always a challenge, every single week. He always emphasizes the leadership required. How you stand, or how you enter a rehearsal space, influences how you are treated. Because being a woman, sometimes when they see me enter the space they think, ‘ah, what does she know’!”</p>



<p>The obstacles she faces are financial as well as cultural; funding is scarce and difficult to obtain. “Sometimes people see your pictures and you look like money, they hear interviews, you sound like money,” she says. “But there’s not one single person investing in Anchored Sound, the brand, or myself as a conductor. It’s challenging to keep the ship afloat. I learned early on that if you want something to happen, you cannot wait for the government, or whatever, because then I would complain for years without having anything done.”</p>



<p>Central to her role is her support for her members, many of whom lack the resources to purchase their own instruments or fulfil their own ambitions alone.</p>



<p>“I empower my members by first of all being great – or at least a good enough! – example,” she says. “So beyond just the musicianship, I always encourage them to study, even if it’s not music. Education<br>is the tool for opening up many doors mentally, not just in terms<br>of opportunities. In the beginning, I would help them with their registration at school, with their tuition, with their accommodation.</p>



<p>Whenever we book concerts, the funds go straight into their education. Most of them are very talented, but they come from homes that are disenfranchized.”</p>



<p>The pandemic has also made rehearsing and performing together a logistical conundrum that is difficult to solve for members from disadvantaged communities.</p>



<p>“Technology doesn’t come as second nature to some of us, so it has been difficult to facilitate how we go digital,” she says. “All the major orchestras have the infrastructure to have your good cameras, your good clip-on mics. For us, it’s very challenging, because you have players in remote areas, some in very small houses. If you ask them to record using their phone, you find in the other room there’s a baby sister making noise. So I’ve been looking at new ways of thinking as conductors, because we are so used to meeting up in spaces that are enclosed; how do we live with this new norm? How do we create a new world symphony?”</p>



<p>For Pitse, the unexplored musical frontier that emerges after the pandemic will be unapologetically, dynamically African.</p>



<p>“My second dream is to create an African orchestra, with African instruments like the <em>marimba </em>and the <em>balafon </em>(gourd- resonated xylophone),” she says. “Most musicians who play African instruments don’t know how to read music, so it would be such a spiritual exchange. These musicians know how to be guided by the spirit of music. And that’s the beauty of all things African – it really is the spirit! I’m eagerly excited to make that happen in the near future, to find out how the spirit of Africa can come alive within this new world of what an orchestra can be.”</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-style-default"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="683" src="https://www.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/2-Photo-credit-Hymie-Sokupha-1024x683.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-49775" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/2-Photo-credit-Hymie-Sokupha-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/2-Photo-credit-Hymie-Sokupha-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/2-Photo-credit-Hymie-Sokupha-768x513.jpg 768w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/2-Photo-credit-Hymie-Sokupha-1536x1025.jpg 1536w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/2-Photo-credit-Hymie-Sokupha-600x400.jpg 600w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption>Photo by Hymie Sokupha</figcaption></figure>



<p><em>&#8211;<strong>BY ALASTAIR HAGGER</strong></em></p>


5 Photo credit Media24 copy

The Musician Who is Conducting Inspiration Even During Covid


<p id="h-topline"><strong>TOPLINE</strong> WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus on Monday issued a dire warning about the new variants of Covid-19 that are emerging across the globe, noting that because those variants can be more contagious, the surge in cases they’re likely to cause could further stress hospitals and health workers already stretched to the brink.</p>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-facts">KEY FACTS</h4>



<p>During a press briefing Monday, Ghebreyesus said that more contagious variants of the coronavirus “can drive a surge of cases and hospitalizations, which is highly problematic for health workers and hospitals already close to the breaking point.”&nbsp;</p>



<p>The added strain on hospitals puts other essential health services at risk, he added, meaning that critical surgeries or procedures may become more difficult because hospital resources are more limited.</p>



<p>While these variants have been found to be more contagious, experts say they don’t appear to cause more severe sickness or increase the risk of death.</p>



<p>Dr. Tom Frieden, a former director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, warned last week that the U.S. is “<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/nicholasreimann/2021/01/08/close-to-a-worst-case-scenario-former-cdc-director-issues-horrifying-outlook-for-new-covid-strain/?sh=490010c43738">close to a worst-case scenario</a>” because of the rapid spread of a new, highly contagious strain of Covid-19.&nbsp;</p>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-background">KEY BACKGROUND&nbsp;</h4>



<p>New variants of Covid-19 have been found in the United Kingdom, the United States (where 63 cases have been detected), Canada, South Africa, and Nigeria, among other countries, the CDC&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/transmission/variant.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">says</a>. Japan’s health authorities announced over the weekend that they had detected a new variant of the virus in four travelers from Brazil, Reuters&nbsp;<a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-japan-variant/japan-finds-new-coronavirus-variant-in-travellers-from-brazil-idUSKBN29F08R" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">reported</a>.&nbsp;</p>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-to-watch-for">WHAT TO WATCH FOR</h4>



<p>Scientists are keeping track of new mutations as they emerge and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-021-00031-0" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">studying</a>&nbsp;how they will impact the effectiveness of vaccines. “I’m quite optimistic that even with these mutations, immunity is not going to suddenly fail on us,” Jesse Bloom, an evolutionary virologist at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.statnews.com/2021/01/07/coronavirus-mutation-vaccine-strength/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">told</a>&nbsp;the healthcare publication&nbsp;<em>STAT</em>. “It might be gradually eroded, but it’s not going to fail on us, at least in the short term.” A recent study from the University of Texas and pharma giant Pfizer found that Pfizer’s Covid-19 vaccine is&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/roberthart/2021/01/08/pfizer-biontech-vaccine-appears-resistant-to-new-covid-variant-study-finds-as-us-records-deadliest-day/?sh=34930796c7c7">still effective</a>&nbsp;in protecting against new variants of the virus.</p>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-further-reading">FURTHER READING</h4>



<p><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/nicholasreimann/2021/01/08/close-to-a-worst-case-scenario-former-cdc-director-issues-horrifying-outlook-for-new-covid-strain/">‘Close To A Worst-Case Scenario’—Former CDC Director Issues ‘Horrifying’ Outlook For New Covid Strain</a>&nbsp;<em>(Forbes)</em></p>



<p><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/carlieporterfield/2021/01/07/new-more-contagious-uk-coronavirus-strain-found-in-pennsylvania---here-are-the-states-with-cases-so-far/">New, More Contagious U.K. Coronavirus Strain Found In Connecticut — Here Are The States With Cases So Far</a>&nbsp;<em>(Forbes)</em></p>



<p><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/carlieporterfield/2020/12/24/new-coronavirus-strain-is-56-more-infectious-scientists-estimate/?sh=342b06d3297c">New Coronavirus Strain Is 56% More Infectious, Scientists Estimate</a>&nbsp;<em>(Forbes)</em></p>



<p><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/roberthart/2021/01/08/pfizer-biontech-vaccine-appears-resistant-to-new-covid-variant-study-finds-as-us-records-deadliest-day/">Pfizer-BioNTech Vaccine Appears To Work Against New Covid Variants, Study Finds, As U.S. Records Deadliest Day</a>&nbsp;<em>(Forbes)</em></p>


TOPSHOT-US-HEALTH-VIRUS

WHO Warns Of ‘Highly Problematic’ New Covid-19 Variants, Says Hospitals And Essential Health Services At Risk


<p><strong>Topline: </strong>In yet another “family meeting”, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa announced on Monday evening that the country would stay on alert level 3. In addition to regulations put in place, the South African government has chosen to close all 20 land ports of entry. </p>



<p><strong>Key Facts.&nbsp;</strong></p>



<ul><li>Land ports of entry will be closed until February, 15 for general entry and departure. These will include the six busiest border posts; Beitbridge, Lebombo, Maseru Bridge, Oshoek, Ficksburg, and Kopfontein.</li><li>This decision has been made as a way to reduce congestion and the high risk of transmission as South Africa has reported nearly 190, 000 Covid-19 cases since the start of 2021. The country has also recorded more than 4,600 Covid-related deaths so far this year.</li><li><a href="https://www.forbesafrica.com/current-affairs/2020/12/28/south-africa-in-grave-danger-ramaphosa-implores-adherence-to-safety-protocols-as-country-moves-again-to-lockdown-level-3/">Alcohol sales</a> are still not permitted, however, curfew times have changed slightly from 9 pm to 6 am to 9 pm to 5 am. </li></ul>



<p><strong>The Government Vaccine Strategy&nbsp;</strong></p>



<p>Part of South Africa’s strategy is to identify priority groups that need to be vaccinated as the country receives them throughout the year. This will be done in phases.&nbsp;</p>



<ul><li><strong>Phase 1-</strong> the first batch of vaccines will be prioritized around 1.2 million front line health workers.</li><li><strong>Phase 2-</strong> When more vaccines arrive, South Africa will prioritize essential workers such as teachers, police, municipal workers, and other frontline personnel. People in institutions like old age homes, shelters, and prisons, people over 60 years of age, and adults with co-morbidities will also be prioritized in this phase. The country plans to reach 16 million people at this stage.&nbsp;</li><li><strong>Phase 3</strong>&#8211; With increased manufacturer supplies, the country will then vaccinate the remaining adult population of approximately 22.5 million people.</li></ul>



<p><strong>Crucial Quote&nbsp;</strong></p>



<p>“But, if we are to realize our aspirations for the year, we must unite to overcome the grave, persistent, and deepening coronavirus pandemic. The pandemic in our country is now at its most devastating,” Ramaphosa said during the live broadcast. “The number of new infections, hospital admissions, and deaths is higher now than it has ever been since the first case was recorded in our country in March 2020.”</p>


SAFRICA-HEALTH-VIRUS

South Africa To Close All Land Borders Until Mid-Feb


<p><strong>Topline</strong>: South Africa’s Department of Health has indicated that the process to roll out the SARS-COV-2 vaccine will start this month. A million doses of the vaccine will come from the Serum Institute of India (SII). </p>



<p><strong>Key Facts</strong></p>



<ul><li>In addition to the million, the department has stated that they will also get 500,000 doses from the SII in February.  </li></ul>



<ul><li>South African Health Minister, Dr. Zweli Mkhize, said in a statement on Thursday that the government will be prioritizing health workers by ensuring that they receive the vaccine by February.</li></ul>



<ul><li>South Africa has entered the second wave of the pandemic, reporting over 20,000 new cases on Wednesday, January 6. </li></ul>



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">As of today, the total number of confirmed <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/COVID19?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#COVID19</a> cases is 1 149 591, the total number of deaths is 31 368 and the total number of recoveries is 929 239. <a href="https://t.co/ceWOvUlWyw">pic.twitter.com/ceWOvUlWyw</a></p>&mdash; Dr Zweli Mkhize (@DrZweliMkhize) <a href="https://twitter.com/DrZweliMkhize/status/1346938540152729600?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 6, 2021</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



<ul><li>The department has been in talks with the SII but could not disclose any details regarding the deal with the institute for the Oxford University-AstraZeneca vaccines. </li></ul>



<ul><li>When briefing Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Thursday morning, Mkihze further said that the department did approach several vaccine manufacturers and discussions are at a “sensitive stage” and believes those talks to be concluded very soon. </li></ul>



<ul><li>It is still unclear the exact dates when South Africa will receive these vaccines and when they will be rolled out to the public. </li></ul>



<ul><li>What has been made clear, however, is that medical schemes and the government have come up with a plan that will cover the vaccination against the virus, according to<em>Radio 702. </em></li></ul>



<ul><li>&#8220;It’s mandatory for medical schemes to pay for the Covid-19 vaccine,&#8221; Dr Ryan Noach, CEO at Discovery Health, on <em>Radio 702. </em></li></ul>



<ul><li>In addition to this, President Cyril Ramaphosa tweeted on Wednesday that Canada may share any excess stock with South Africa.</li></ul>



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Canada has committed to sharing any excess pre-purchase orders with countries in need once supplies are available, and to influence other countries to act in the interests of multilateralism to defeat the virus in the spirit of security and safety for all.</p>&mdash; Cyril Ramaphosa 🇿🇦 #StaySafe (@CyrilRamaphosa) <a href="https://twitter.com/CyrilRamaphosa/status/1346758260083273728?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 6, 2021</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
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<p><strong>Countries that have received the Covid-19 vaccine so far:</strong></p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-style-default"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="723" src="https://www.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/covid-vaccination-doses-per-capita-1-1024x723.png" alt="" class="wp-image-49585" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/covid-vaccination-doses-per-capita-1-1024x723.png 1024w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/covid-vaccination-doses-per-capita-1-300x212.png 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/covid-vaccination-doses-per-capita-1-768x542.png 768w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/covid-vaccination-doses-per-capita-1-1536x1084.png 1536w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/covid-vaccination-doses-per-capita-1-2048x1446.png 2048w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/covid-vaccination-doses-per-capita-1-600x424.png 600w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption><br><a href="https://ourworldindata.org/covid-vaccinations">Graphic from Our World Data</a></figcaption></figure>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-style-default"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="723" src="https://www.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/covid-vaccination-doses-per-capita-1024x723.png" alt="" class="wp-image-49582" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/covid-vaccination-doses-per-capita-1024x723.png 1024w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/covid-vaccination-doses-per-capita-300x212.png 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/covid-vaccination-doses-per-capita-768x542.png 768w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/covid-vaccination-doses-per-capita-1536x1084.png 1536w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/covid-vaccination-doses-per-capita-2048x1446.png 2048w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/covid-vaccination-doses-per-capita-600x424.png 600w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption><a href="https://ourworldindata.org/covid-vaccinations">Graphic from Our World Data</a></figcaption></figure>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-crucial-quote"><strong>Crucial Quote</strong></h4>



<p>“We are happy that the SII/Astra Zeneca vaccine has already been approved by various regulators and is being rolled out in other countries. Therefore, as part of expediting the regulatory process, the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA) is applying reliance on that regulatory work,” said Mkhize in his statement on Thursday.&nbsp;</p>


Mobile Covid-19 Testing as South Africa Struggles for Vaccines

Finally, Some News On The Covid-19 Vaccine For South Africa


<p>Since the first case was reported in March, the country’s total coronavirus infections have spiked to 1 million, reported the South African Department of Health on Sunday evening.&nbsp;</p>



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Today, we have breached one million cumulative cases of <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/COVID%E3%83%BC19?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#COVIDー19</a> in South Africa, with a cumulative total of 1 004 413 cases reported. <a href="https://t.co/p00BWXcX8J">pic.twitter.com/p00BWXcX8J</a></p>&mdash; Department of Health: COVID-19 (@COVID_19_ZA) <a href="https://twitter.com/COVID_19_ZA/status/1343253366420500481?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 27, 2020</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



<p>“Anyone who says COVID-19 is not a serious issue, are those who have not come into contact with someone who has had the virus,” South African Health Minister, Dr. Zweli Mkhize stated on Twitter this morning.&nbsp;</p>



<p>This puts further strain on the country as recently the South African President, Cyril Ramaphosa, addressed the nation placing stricter restrictions “with immediate effect” on<a href="https://www.forbesafrica.com/current-affairs/2020/12/14/more-grave-second-wave-in-south-africa-country-to-receive-vaccines-early-2021/"> December 14.&nbsp;</a></p>



<p>“If we don’t do things differently, this will be the last Christmas for many South Africans,” said Ramaphosa. </p>



<p>Some of the restrictions included the closure of beaches and public parks in the Eastern Cape and the Garden Route in the Western Cape for the duration of the festive season from December 16 to January 3. The curfew now starts at 11 PM and end at 4 AM. Restaurants and bars have to close at 10PM so that staff and patrons can get home before the enforcement of the curfew. Alcohol sales have also been restricted. Retail outlets are only permitted to sell alcohol between 10AM and 6PM from Monday to Thursday.</p>



<p>However, Dr. Zweli Mkhize further said that “One cannot speculate on the restrictions that will now be. ”&nbsp;</p>



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">One cannot speculate on the restrictions that will now be put in place. <a href="https://twitter.com/MorningLiveSABC?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@MorningLiveSABC</a></p>&mdash; Dr Zweli Mkhize (@DrZweliMkhize) <a href="https://twitter.com/DrZweliMkhize/status/1343427112217272321?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 28, 2020</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



<p><strong><em>This is a developing story.&nbsp;<br></em></strong></p>


South Africa Surpasses 1 Million Reported Cases But No Sign Of Further Restrictions Yet


<p><strong>Topline</strong>: “If we don’t do things differently, this will be the last Christmas for many South Africans,” said South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, addressing the nation on Monday evening, as he announced more restrictions, some “with immediate effect”.</p>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-facts"><strong>Key Facts</strong></h4>



<p>● South Africa is officially in its second wave, said president Ramaphosa during a live broadcast. On December 3, the country recorded over 4,400 new cases. Ten days later, South Africa recorded nearly 8,000 new cases. The cumulative number of confirmed Covid-19 cases in South Africa now stands at over 860,000.</p>



<p>● Ramaphosa said this figure is of “great concern” for the country.</p>



<p>● “Given the rate at which new cases have grown over the last two weeks, there is every possibility that if we do not act urgently and if we do not act together, the second wave will be more severe than the first wave,” he said.</p>



<p>● Furthermore, in a short amount of time, the daily average of coronavirus deaths has increased by nearly 50%. A figure that previously sat at 100 deaths a day is now over 150 deaths.</p>



<p>● The four provinces in South Africa that are leading the second wave are the Eastern Cape, Western Cape, KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) and Gauteng.</p>



<p>● The reasons behind the increase vary from health protocols (no social distancing or masks being worn) not being followed to super-spreader events like large gatherings being held.</p>



<p>● “We have gotten into the Christmas spirit early and are inviting friends and family over for get-togethers,” Ramaphosa said. “Yet, it is our failure to closely adhere to all these basic precautions at all times that has brought us to this second wave.”</p>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-changes-made-by-the-south-african-government-to-contain-the-spread-of-the-virus"><strong>Key changes made by the South African government to contain the spread of the virus.</strong></h4>



<p>● Beaches and public parks in the Eastern Cape and the Garden Route in the Western Cape will be closed for the duration of the festive season from December 16 to January 3. In KZN, beaches and public parks will be closed for what are traditionally the busiest days of the holiday season.</p>



<p>● The curfew will start at 11PM and end at 4AM. Restaurants and bars will have to close at 10PM so that staff and patrons can get home before the enforcement of the curfew.</p>



<p>● Alcohol sales will also be restricted. Retail outlets are only permitted to sell alcohol between 10AM and 6PM from Monday to Thursday. However, registered wineries and wine farms may continue to offer tastings and wine sales to the public for off-site consumption over weekends. Alcohol consumption in all public spaces, such as beaches and parks, is strictly forbidden.</p>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-crucial-quote"><strong>Crucial Quote</strong></h4>



<p>“If we do not do things differently this festive season, we will greet the new year not with joy, but with sorrow. Many of our friends, relatives, and co-workers will be infected, some will get severely ill and some, tragically, will die&#8230; It is therefore essential that we take extraordinary measures to contain the second wave and save lives while working to protect livelihoods,” Ramaphosa said.</p>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-vaccine-update">Vaccine Update</h4>



<p>In addition to enforcing stricter nationwide enforcement of existing lockdown alert level 1 restrictions, the president also announced that South Africa had concluded all the necessary processes to participate in the World Health Organization’s Covid-19 Global Vaccine Access Facility (COVAX).</p>



<p>“As part of this facility, it is expected that South Africa will receive initial vaccines to cover 10% of our population in the early part of next year,” Ramaphosa said.</p>


South African President Ramaphosa visits the Mashatile family home to offer condolences

More Grave Second Wave In South Africa/Country To Receive Vaccines Early 2021


<p><strong>Although the world was struck by the Covid-19 Pandemic, other issues were also brought to the forefront in 2020. Here are the hashtags from Africa that caught the globe’s attention this year.</strong></p>



<p id="h-endsars-just-as-the-country-celebrated-its-diamond-jubilee-police-brutality"><strong><span class="has-inline-color has-vivid-red-color">#ENDSars:</span></strong> Just as the country celebrated its diamond jubilee, police brutality protests started on October 7 in Nigeria calling for the disbanding of the infamous police unit, the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), which had long been accused of extortion, torture, and extra-judicial killings.</p>



<div class="wp-block-image is-style-default"><figure class="aligncenter size-large is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://www.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/GettyImages-1229378322-1024x682.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-49261" width="432" height="288" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/GettyImages-1229378322-1024x682.jpg 1024w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/GettyImages-1229378322-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/GettyImages-1229378322-768x511.jpg 768w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/GettyImages-1229378322-1536x1022.jpg 1536w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/GettyImages-1229378322-2048x1363.jpg 2048w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/GettyImages-1229378322-600x399.jpg 600w" sizes="(max-width: 432px) 100vw, 432px" /><figcaption>  (Photo by Maciek Musialek/NurPhoto via Getty Images)</figcaption></figure></div>



<p id="h-congoisbleeding-exploitation-in-the-mines-of-the-democratic-republic-of-the"><strong><span class="has-inline-color has-vivid-red-color">#CongoIsBleeding</span></strong>: Exploitation in the mines of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) received attention in October to highlight child slavery, deadly conflicts, and corruption spawned by the quest to feed mega-companies with minerals.</p>



<p id="h-shutitalldown-this-was-a-wave-of-ongoing-gender-based-violence-protests"><strong><span class="has-inline-color has-vivid-red-color">#ShutItAllDown</span></strong>: This was a wave of ongoing gender-based violence protests across Namibia aimed at stopping the spread of rape and the killing of women. According to <em>CNN,</em> the protests were in response to news of another attack, in turn, those protestors threatened to leave everything at a standstill for four days earlier in October.</p>



<div class="wp-block-image is-style-default"><figure class="aligncenter size-large is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://www.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/GettyImages-1228977823-1024x683.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-49263" width="388" height="259" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/GettyImages-1228977823-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/GettyImages-1228977823-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/GettyImages-1228977823-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/GettyImages-1228977823-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/GettyImages-1228977823-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/GettyImages-1228977823-600x400.jpg 600w" sizes="(max-width: 388px) 100vw, 388px" /><figcaption> (Photo by HILDEGARD TITUS/AFP via Getty Images)</figcaption></figure></div>



<p id="h-zimbabweanlivesmatter-a-predominantly-online-demonstration-to-address"><strong><span class="has-inline-color has-vivid-red-color">#ZimbabweanLivesMatter</span></strong>: A predominantly online demonstration to address the human rights abuses in Zimbabwe in August. According to The Guardian, the hashtag was ‘fashioned’ after the Black Lives Matter global protests staged since the killing of George Floyd by a US police officer in May. Furthermore, the incarceration of journalist Hopewell Chin’ono and the Booker Prize long-listed author Tsitsi Dangarembga has angered more people across Africa.</p>



<div class="wp-block-image is-style-default"><figure class="aligncenter size-large is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://www.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/GettyImages-1227856557-1024x683.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-49265" width="433" height="289" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/GettyImages-1227856557-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/GettyImages-1227856557-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/GettyImages-1227856557-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/GettyImages-1227856557-600x400.jpg 600w" sizes="(max-width: 433px) 100vw, 433px" /><figcaption>Julie Barnes holds a placard during an anti-corruption protest march along Borrowdale road, on July 31, 2020 in Harare. (Photo by ZINYANGE AUNTONY/AFP via Getty Images)</figcaption></figure></div>



<p id="h-rapenationalemergancy-on-september-11-liberian-president-george-weah"><strong><span class="has-inline-color has-vivid-red-color">#RapeNationalEmergancy</span></strong>: On September 11, Liberian President George Weah declared rape a national emergency in the country. According to <em>Al Jazeera</em>, Weah introduced measures in place to address the increase in violence against women. Measures include a special prosecutor for rape in the country, as well as the set-up of a national sex offender registry and the establishment of a “national security task force” on sexual and gender-based violence.</p>



<p id="h-childtrafficking-this-has-been-highlighted-as-a-severe-problem-on-cocoa"><strong><span class="has-inline-color has-vivid-red-color">#ChildTrafficking</span></strong>: This has been highlighted as a severe problem on cocoa farms in Ghana and Ivory Coast. According to a US study, the prevalence of<br>children doing hazardous work, including using sharp tools, has also gone up in the world’s top two cocoa producers, reported <em>Al Jazeera</em> in October.</p>



<div class="wp-block-image is-style-default"><figure class="aligncenter size-large is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://www.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/GettyImages-1227845071-1024x678.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-49266" width="444" height="294" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/GettyImages-1227845071-1024x678.jpg 1024w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/GettyImages-1227845071-300x199.jpg 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/GettyImages-1227845071-768x509.jpg 768w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/GettyImages-1227845071-1536x1017.jpg 1536w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/GettyImages-1227845071-2048x1356.jpg 2048w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/GettyImages-1227845071-600x397.jpg 600w" sizes="(max-width: 444px) 100vw, 444px" /><figcaption>(Photo by Olukayode Jaiyeola/NurPhoto via Getty Images)</figcaption></figure></div>



<p id="h-guinea-guinea-s-president-alpha-cond-has-won-a-controversial-third"><span class="has-inline-color has-vivid-red-color"><strong>#Guinea</strong>:</span> Guinea’s president, Alpha Condé, has won a “controversial third term” with 59.49% of the vote, the National Independent Electoral Commission declared on October 24. According to the <em>Guardian</em>, his victory came at the same time as widespread protests “violently suppressed by security forces”.</p>



<div class="wp-block-image is-style-default"><figure class="aligncenter size-large is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://www.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/GettyImages-1229107728-1024x683.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-49262" width="395" height="263" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/GettyImages-1229107728-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/GettyImages-1229107728-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/GettyImages-1229107728-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/GettyImages-1229107728-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/GettyImages-1229107728-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/GettyImages-1229107728-600x400.jpg 600w" sizes="(max-width: 395px) 100vw, 395px" /><figcaption> Alpha Conde addresses his supporters at a campaign rally in Conakry on October 16, 2020. (Photo by JOHN WESSELS/AFP via Getty Images)</figcaption></figure></div>



<p id="h-anglophonecrisis-since-october-2016-cameroon-s-anglophone-minority"><span class="has-inline-color has-vivid-red-color"><strong>#AnglophoneCrisis</strong>:</span> Since October 2016, Cameroon’s Anglophone minority have been protesting due to sectoral grievances that morphed into political demands. On October 24 this year, the United Nations reported that eight children were killed and dozens wounded by a group of armed men at the Mother Francisca International Bilingual Academy Kumba in the southwest region of Cameroon. Although the southwest region is one of two Anglophone regions, it was not clear if the attack was linked to a continuing struggle between government forces and armed groups in the English-speaking west seeking to form a breakaway state.</p>



<div class="wp-block-image is-style-default"><figure class="aligncenter size-large is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://www.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/GettyImages-1154062693-1024x682.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-49268" width="418" height="278" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/GettyImages-1154062693-1024x682.jpg 1024w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/GettyImages-1154062693-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/GettyImages-1154062693-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/GettyImages-1154062693-1536x1023.jpg 1536w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/GettyImages-1154062693-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/GettyImages-1154062693-600x400.jpg 600w" sizes="(max-width: 418px) 100vw, 418px" /><figcaption> Anglophone village women pray in a church located in a hill village on May 12, 2019 a few miles outside Buea in SW Cameroon. (Photo by Giles Clarke/UNOCHA via Getty Images)</figcaption></figure></div>



<p id="h-prayforethiopia-cnn-reported-on-november-7-that-a-military-conflict-which"><strong><span class="has-inline-color has-vivid-red-color">#PrayForEthiopia</span></strong>: <em>CNN </em>reported on November 7 that a military conflict, which has raised fears of civil war, broke out due to Tigray&#8217;s Peoples Liberation Front’s (TPLF) unilateral decision to elect a regional administration against Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s wishes. “Our operation aims to end the impunity that has prevailed for far too long and hold accountable individuals and groups under the laws of the land,” Abiy said on Twitter. According to the Herald Malaysia, this resulted in heavy casualties and thousands of civilians fleeing the region.</p>



<div class="wp-block-image is-style-default"><figure class="aligncenter size-large is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://www.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/GettyImages-1229977140-1024x683.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-49259" width="431" height="287" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/GettyImages-1229977140-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/GettyImages-1229977140-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/GettyImages-1229977140-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/GettyImages-1229977140-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/GettyImages-1229977140-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/GettyImages-1229977140-600x400.jpg 600w" sizes="(max-width: 431px) 100vw, 431px" /><figcaption>TOPSHOT &#8211; An Ethiopian refugee who fled the Tigray conflict prays during Sunday Mass at an Ethiopian Orthodox church building built by former Ethiopian refugees, at the village next to Um Raquba refugee camp in Gedaref, eastern Sudan, on December 6, 2020.  (Photo by YASUYOSHI CHIBA/AFP via Getty Images)</figcaption></figure></div>



<p><strong><span class="has-inline-color has-vivid-red-color">#StopGBV:</span></strong> During the lockdown, gender-based violence and femicide in South Africa has become a second pandemic for the country. According to the Commission of Gender Equality, South Africa is ranked amongst the highest in Africa for domestic violence. At the end of July, Police Minister Bheki Cele released crime stats showing that sexual crimes in the country increased by 1.7%, with 53,293 cases reported. This is 873 cases more than in 2019.</p>



<div class="wp-block-image is-style-default"><figure class="aligncenter size-large is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://www.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/GettyImages-1222580728-1024x710.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-49267" width="389" height="270" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/GettyImages-1222580728-1024x710.jpg 1024w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/GettyImages-1222580728-300x208.jpg 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/GettyImages-1222580728-768x533.jpg 768w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/GettyImages-1222580728-1536x1065.jpg 1536w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/GettyImages-1222580728-2048x1421.jpg 2048w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/GettyImages-1222580728-600x416.jpg 600w" sizes="(max-width: 389px) 100vw, 389px" /><figcaption>Students protest against gender based violence (GBV) at parliament on June 24, 2020 in Cape Town, South Africa. (Photo by Nardus Engelbrecht/Gallo Images via Getty Images)</figcaption></figure></div>


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