MEDICAL TECHNOLOGY CONSTANTLY pushes boundaries with its innovations. Over the years, we’ve seen disruptions like 3D bio-printing; the Internet of Medical Things; virtual reality for mental health; robotic surgery and nanomedicine – precision healthcare at a molecular level. 



Early in the pandemic, telemedicine took center stage as patients and healthcare workers turned to technology out of necessity, but it remains to be seen if its popularity will last.



 It was also during the pandemic that Microsoft experimented with its mixed reality (MR) headset, the HoloLens 2. The headset enables surgeons to view 3D holographic images of a patient, obtained from X-rays or CT scans, and supports hand gestures and voice commands. 



Recently, at its annual Ignite conference in March, the company announced Microsoft Mesh, a mixed-reality platform built on Azure that can be accessed on the HoloLens as well as other VR headsets, smartphones, PCs, Macs and tablets, making it more mainstream. 



The HoloLens 2 project was led by Professor Thomas Gregory who used the original HoloLens for its first MR surgery back in 2017. He brought together 15 surgeons across 13 countries to perform a series of MR orthopedic operations. Shoulder surgeries were chosen because it requires 3D planning and modeling of the shoulder. Professor Stephen Roche, orthopedic surgeon at Groote Schuur Hospital and the University of Cape Town in South Africa participated in three surgeries; one in South Africa and assistance with two others in France and Germany.



 “Technology is playing a bigger role in surgery, research, and healthcare and certainly during Covid-19, where trainees have not been able to operate, this has highlighted the use and need for technology in training and teaching,” says Roche. 



The HoloLens 2 lets us manipulate images in real-time so intraoperative findings can be checked with surgical planning, he adds. 



“It allows us to access the internet during surgery and more importantly, we can bring a surgeon into the theater virtually for advice, which would be a massive benefit for a continent like Africa, with many of our colleagues working in poorlyresourced areas.” 



Another company targeting disadvantaged communities in South Africa is a start-up called Robots Can Think, which adapted during Covid-19 by 3D-printing personal protective equipment (PPE) for healthcare workers. 



<div class="wp-block-media-text alignwide is-stacked-on-mobile" style="grid-template-columns:35% auto"><figure class="wp-block-media-text__media"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="917" height="1024" src="https://www.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Natalie-Raphil-917x1024.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-50857 size-full" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Natalie-Raphil-917x1024.jpg 917w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Natalie-Raphil-269x300.jpg 269w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Natalie-Raphil-768x857.jpg 768w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Natalie-Raphil-1376x1536.jpg 1376w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Natalie-Raphil-1834x2048.jpg 1834w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Natalie-Raphil.jpg 2000w" sizes="(max-width: 917px) 100vw, 917px" /></figure><div class="wp-block-media-text__content">
<blockquote class="wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow">At Robots Can Think, we strive to use AI for good, to place AI in a meaningful way in the hands of all, from Sandton to Kagiso, to deep rural Eastern Cape. – Natalie Raphil</blockquote>
</div></div>



Natalie Raphil, founder of Robots Can Think, says that during level 5 of the lockdown in South Africa, when imports and exports were at a standstill and PPE was in demand, she read about healthcare workers using cloth to cover their face and nose due to PPE delays. 



“I have access to a 3D-printer and decided to print face shields and masks with the 3D-printing material I had available. I then distributed them to medical staff in public hospitals, those in Alexandra in Johannesburg and so on,” says Raphil.



Raphil has a PhD in Artificial Intelligence (AI) from Stanford University and started Robots Can Think three years ago with a current focus on the medical and healthcare sectors. After questioning the inclusivity of AI for the visually and hearing impaired, she realized things needed to change. 



The start-up came up with an AI module that is fitted on to existing walking sticks, and once activated, assists the visually-impaired to navigate outdoors.



“The device captures real-time images and the AI then recognizes objects such as traffic lights, traffic light colors, how many vehicles/ pedestrians (essentially objects) are in front of the visually-impaired, all the while navigating them to their final destination.”



The device then either communicates back to the visually-impaired via speech through a Bluetooth device or via sensory pulses emitted from the device to the hand holding the stick. 



The AI walking stick is still in a testing phase, and runs on proprietary software that includes image recognition, image/text to speech, and text/speech to sensory conversion software, hosted on-premise.



Raphil credits Robots Can Think’s partner, All Round Tech, for its engineering genius in developing the AI module for walking sticks. Once approved, it will be made available to purchase; supplied to medical organizations; and will be donated to the needy. 



Over the next two years, Robots Can Think will focus on exploring medical tech to enhance the continent’s adoption of AI, invent products that are easily accessible to all and continue to use AI for good, says Raphil. 



“At Robots Can Think, we strive to use AI for good, to place AI in a meaningful way in the hands of all, from Sandton to Kagiso, to deep rural Eastern Cape in South Africa.”



BY NAFISA AKABOR

HoloLens2

The Advancements In Medical Technology That Go Beyond Covid-19

As per this year’s&nbsp;latest&nbsp;<a href="http://wt-mail.henleyglobal.com/c/6/?T=NDQzMjAyNzc%3AcDEtYjIxMTAzLTAxZjY0NTQyY2U0NDRlZmY5ZjY1ZWZjNGIzNTgzMDgw%3AcmVudWthLm1ldGhpbEBhYm4zNjAuY29t%3AY29udGFjdC05YjQ5MGI4M2Y4OTJlNzExOWRiZjAwNTA1NmJjMDdmMy1lM2E0ZGM1ODkxNDQ0ZGQ5OTIyZjhmNmYyZTE1MjhkOQ%3AZmFsc2U%3AMA%3A%3AaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuaGVubGV5Z2xvYmFsLmNvbS9wYXNzcG9ydC1pbmRleD9fY2xkZWU9Y21WdWRXdGhMbTFsZEdocGJFQmhZbTR6TmpBdVkyOXQmcmVjaXBpZW50aWQ9Y29udGFjdC05YjQ5MGI4M2Y4OTJlNzExOWRiZjAwNTA1NmJjMDdmMy1lM2E0ZGM1ODkxNDQ0ZGQ5OTIyZjhmNmYyZTE1MjhkOSZlc2lkPTQxZWQ5MGM3LTJkOWMtZWIxMS04YmMwLTAwNTA1NjhkOWExOA&amp;K=vJWLaK0qWC7j9BwnzD83sg" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Henley Passport Index</a>&nbsp;— the original ranking of all the world’s passports according to the number of destinations their holders can access without a prior visa – Japanese passport holders theoretically are able to access a record 193 destinations around the world visa-free. &nbsp;



Singapore remains in second place, with a visa-free/visa-on-arrival score of 192, while Germany and South Korea again share joint-third place, each with access to 191 destinations. &nbsp;The index provides exclusive insight into what post-pandemic travel freedom might look like as countries around the world&nbsp;selectively begin to open their borders&nbsp;to international visitors.&nbsp;



 Based on exclusive data from the&nbsp;<a href="http://wt-mail.henleyglobal.com/c/6/?T=NDQzMjAyNzc%3AcDEtYjIxMTAzLTAxZjY0NTQyY2U0NDRlZmY5ZjY1ZWZjNGIzNTgzMDgw%3AcmVudWthLm1ldGhpbEBhYm4zNjAuY29t%3AY29udGFjdC05YjQ5MGI4M2Y4OTJlNzExOWRiZjAwNTA1NmJjMDdmMy1lM2E0ZGM1ODkxNDQ0ZGQ5OTIyZjhmNmYyZTE1MjhkOQ%3AZmFsc2U%3AMQ%3A%3AaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuaWF0YS5vcmcvP19jbGRlZT1jbVZ1ZFd0aExtMWxkR2hwYkVCaFltNHpOakF1WTI5dCZyZWNpcGllbnRpZD1jb250YWN0LTliNDkwYjgzZjg5MmU3MTE5ZGJmMDA1MDU2YmMwN2YzLWUzYTRkYzU4OTE0NDRkZDk5MjJmOGY2ZjJlMTUyOGQ5JmVzaWQ9NDFlZDkwYzctMmQ5Yy1lYjExLThiYzAtMDA1MDU2OGQ5YTE4&amp;K=GPVhmx3NNGZER0Qshw6TlA" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">International Air Transport Association</a>&nbsp;(IATA), and as has been the case for most of the index’s 16-year history, the majority of the remaining top 10 spots are held by European Union countries. &nbsp;



The United Arab Emirates continues its stellar ascent. In 2011, it was ranked 65th&nbsp;with a&nbsp;visa-free/visa-on-arrival score of 67, while today, it is ranked 15th&nbsp;with a score of 174. &nbsp;Closer home, Seychelles and Mauritius are in the top 50.&nbsp;



Seychelles, the archipelago country in the Indian Ocean, is Africa’s top-ranking African passport in this regard, at 27 with access to 152 destinations worldwide.&nbsp;



It is followed by Mauritius which is at 30 with a score of 146 destinations passport-holders of this country can visit.&nbsp;



Ranked 53, the number of global destinations South African passport-holders can travel to is 103.&nbsp;



The rest of the African continent dominates the bottom quarter of the rankings with weaker passports than most.&nbsp;

Man holding passport and boarding pass at airline check-in counter

What Travel Freedom Looks Like In The Pandemic World

TOPLINE The number of new coronavirus infections in India surged this week, making its outbreak the fastest-growing in the world as it struggles with widespread vaccine shortages and a low vaccination rate.



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



India reported 145,384 new coronavirus cases Saturday, the fifth time&nbsp;<a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-india-idUSKBN2BX031" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">this week</a>&nbsp;that the country set a new daily infection record, following more than a month of precipitously increasing case counts, according to data compiled by&nbsp;<a href="https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/region/india" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Johns Hopkins University</a>.



Daily coronavirus case counts in India are now larger than in any other country, far surpassing previous frontrunners&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/joewalsh/2021/03/13/brazil-now-has-the-worlds-worst-covid-outbreak-experts-blame-variants/?sh=30487e4478b1">Brazil</a>&nbsp;(which reported&nbsp;<a href="https://covid.saude.gov.br/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">about 93,000</a>&nbsp;new cases Saturday) and the United States (at&nbsp;<a href="https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/region/united-states" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">just under 83,000</a>&nbsp;new cases).



Still, India has averaged about 84.2 new cases per million residents over the past week, a much lower rate than less populous countries like the United States (205.1) and Brazil (311.2), per statistics from Oxford’s&nbsp;<a href="https://ourworldindata.org/covid-vaccinations" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Our World In Data</a>&nbsp;project.



Deaths in India have also gradually climbed in recent weeks, reaching 794&nbsp;<a href="https://www.mohfw.gov.in/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">on Saturday</a>, which is significantly lower than in&nbsp;<a href="https://covid.saude.gov.br/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Brazil</a>&nbsp;(3,693) and the&nbsp;<a href="https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/region/united-states" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">United States</a>&nbsp;(958) and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnn.com/world/live-news/coronavirus-pandemic-09-16-20-intl/h_2e2f271cc29816352e45c39c79fef5ba" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">still below</a>&nbsp;India’s September peak.



Hard-hit states like Maharashtra, home to Mumbai,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnbctv18.com/healthcare/no-intention-to-put-a-full-lockdown-in-maharashtra-says-health-minister-tope-8885671.htm" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">imposed weekend lockdowns</a>&nbsp;starting Friday, aiming to curb infections as hospitals in the densely populated state&nbsp;<a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-india-maharashtra-idUSKBN2BT15V" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">overflow with sick patients</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-india-maharashtra-idUSKBN2BT15V" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">run low on oxygen</a>.



Local experts say&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/global-trade-mumbai-india-coronavirus-pandemic-infectious-diseases-3f8acdda6d595da27980ac2a8072ab88" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">India’s cases</a>&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/global-trade-mumbai-india-coronavirus-pandemic-infectious-diseases-3f8acdda6d595da27980ac2a8072ab88" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">are surging</a>&nbsp;partly because many people have stopped following social distancing guidelines and&nbsp;<a href="https://abcnews.go.com/Health/wireStory/india-sees-lockdowns-coronavirus-cases-rise-76038339" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">returned</a>&nbsp;to normal routines, and the federal government is unwilling to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/covid19-in-india-hard-lockdown-ruled-out-pm-modi-says-focus-on-testing-101617925294364.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">reimpose</a>&nbsp;last year’s strict&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/24/world/asia/india-coronavirus-lockdown.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">national lockdowns</a>.



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-big-number">BIG NUMBER</h4>



6.3%. That the share of India’s population that has received at least one coronavirus vaccine dose, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.mohfw.gov.in/pdf/CumulativeCOVIDVaccinationCOverageReport9thApril2021.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">government figures</a>. The country’s vaccination rate is lagging behind wealthier countries with severe coronavirus outbreaks like Mexico (7%), Brazil (9.5%) and the United States (34.5%), per data compiled by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/graphics/covid-vaccine-tracker-global-distribution/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Bloomberg</a>.



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



India is one of the world’s largest manufacturers of Covid-19 vaccines, with the Serum Institute of India&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-56513371" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">exporting tens of millions</a>&nbsp;of doses of AstraZeneca’s vaccine, yet the country is grappling with painful shortages at home. India’s vaccination campaign has sped up in recent weeks, but vaccine clinics still&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/india-faces-covid-19-vaccine-shortage-as-cases-surge-11617970632" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">reportedly</a>&nbsp;don’t have enough shots to keep up with demand.&nbsp;



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



India&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/world-news-india-global-trade-coronavirus-pandemic-dd58b5c596f261f8a5655e8d8b5d6984" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">sharply limited</a>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ft.com/content/fcdffb8f-f86e-4bd9-adec-20256aeb0a07" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">exports</a>&nbsp;of AstraZeneca’s vaccine last month, in an effort to focus on its own supply issues. This could&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-56513371" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">slow deliveries</a>&nbsp;in wealthy countries like the United Kingdom, but it will pose especially serious delays for poorer countries, many of which are&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pandemics-coronavirus-pandemic-united-nations-98e1561a12c4944478e27c0214f8e447" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">reliant on</a>&nbsp;AstraZeneca doses from the COVAX international vaccine subsidy program.



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



“The globe needs this vaccine,” Adar Poonawalla, CEO of the Serum Institute of India,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/coronavirus-vaccination-rs-3-000-crores-needed-to-ramp-up-vaccine-production-adar-poonawalla-2407614" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">said Tuesday</a>. “We are prioritizing the needs of India at the moment, and we are still short of being able to supply to every Indian that needs it.”



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



Vaccine shortages are not unique to India. Well-heeled places like the United States and Europe have vaccinated their populations far more quickly than low and middle-income countries, partly because they pre-ordered hundreds of millions of doses last year. So far, about 87% of the world’s vaccine supplies have gone to wealthy or upper-middle-income countries, the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.who.int/director-general/speeches/detail/director-general-s-opening-remarks-at-the-media-briefing-on-covid-19-9-april-2021" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">World Health Organization</a>&nbsp;said Friday, while many African countries have&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/graphics/covid-vaccine-tracker-global-distribution/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">secured enough doses</a>&nbsp;to immunize less than 1% of their populations.&nbsp;



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



<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2021/03/21/world/asia/india-covid19-vaccines-mumbai.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">India Battles a Second Covid-19 Wave and Vaccine Skepticism (New York Times)</a>



By Joe Walsh, Forbes Staff

INDIA-HEALTH-VIRUS-VACCINES

India’s Covid Outbreak Is Now The World’s Worst As It Lags In Vaccinations

Understanding the new variants of the coronavirus and if and how the vaccines will catch up.



When this story was going to press, Nigeria had a total of 159,000 Covid-19 cases and counting. A big chunk of these cases was attributed to the two variants discovered in the West African country – the B.1.525 also found in the United Kingdom (UK) and the B.1.207 genetically sequenced in Nigeria.



Experts continue to closely monitor the situation of countries that have seen new variants as the effects of these mutations have yet to be determined. In South Africa, more light has been shed on the 501Y.V2 variant which has been found to be more infectious and deadlier than the original strain.



South Africa has also seen a new strain emerge, as the variant, 501Y.V2, which has wreaked havoc on the country and seen the number of cases increase exponentially since its discovery in December last year.



The situation in Nigeria and South Africa are not unique, however, as other parts of the world too have had to face the daunting reality of combating a new variant and the possibility of minimal protection offered by the vaccines now available.



Professor Lynn Morris, interim Executive Director of the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) of South Africa, explains to FORBES AFRICA that the virus is likely to become a norm and not disappear altogether from society.



“SARS-CoV-2 is likely to become endemic – in other words, it will continue to circulate amongst people who lack sufficient immunity,” explains Morris. With Covid-19 expected to join the likes of HIV in becoming an endemic, mutations are expected as “viruses mutate as they replicate, fortunately most are harmless”.



It is the area in which these replications have occurred, however, that has created the current crisis with the vaccines available. The spike protein is a key component to the survival of the coronavirus cell and is how the virus enters the body and begins to replicate.



The spike protein allows for the coronavirus cell to invade human cells. By doing this, it ensures the survival of the virus as viruses are only able to replicate once they have entered the host cell. Mutations on the spike protein have a number of different implications as each chemical component of the spike protein serves a different purpose.



One of these purposes is the rate of infection as Morris explains: “The 501Y.V2 variant has a number of mutations in its spike protein. One of these is shared with the variant circulating in the UK that has been shown to increase transmissibility. Another three are escape mutations that make the virus partially or in some cases completely resistant to otherwise protective antibodies.”



The other issue that has also arisen as a result of these mutations is resistance to the current vaccine models available. The vaccines produced by Pfizer and BioNTech, Moderna and Oxford and AstraZeneca all use a specific genetic component from the virus in their vaccine and the antibodies created by the body then formulate their reaction based on the genetic material of this component.



The material used by all these companies has been derived from the spike protein of the virus. This then brings the efficacy of the vaccines into question in dealing with the mutations of the coronavirus cell and still being able to provide a high enough level of protection against the virus.



This theory became a reality in South Africa, where the rollout of vaccines had to be paused with one of the main factors being a low-efficacy level of the vaccine when treating the new strain of the virus. The vaccine in question, the Oxford and AstraZeneca vaccine, had been purchased from the Serum Institute of India and was due for rollout in February.



Due to results conducted by an independent researcher, and a close approaching expiration date, the use of these vaccines was halted and replaced with the Johnson &amp; Johnson vaccine, Ad26.cov2.S. At the time of writing, this vaccine had been administered to over 145,000 health workers who were given priority.



The possibility of vaccines being a permanent or long-term solution has yet to be determined.



“We don’t know yet how long vaccine-induced immunity will last. If it follows the same pattern as natural infection where antibodies are relatively short-lived, then a booster will likely be required,” says Morris.



As more mutations arise as the virus replicates and the number of vaccines approved for use increases, this war between virus and vaccine is coming to a head and at this point, the victor is anyone’s guess.



Variant B.1.525 – this variant is still relatively new and undergoing investigation is still determining the extent to which the mutations affect the rate of infection. This strain has been found across the world including Ghana and Nigeria.



Variant B.1.1.207 – Initially discovered through genome sequencing done in Nigeria, the exact effects of this variant are still under study, as of March 2021, this variant has been found across the world including countries in Europe, Asia and North America.



Cluster Five – This cluster was found in Denmark amongst the mink population and was found that it would be possible to spread to humans from mink farms. This then led to the culling of 17 million minks which subsequently led to the extinction of the cluster five variant.

PALESTINIAN-HEALTH-VIRUS-VACCINE

The Conflict Between Virus And Vaccine

Topline: South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa announced in another “family meeting” on Tuesday evening that although the country will not be moving from Alert Level one, heavy restrictions would be put in place for this upcoming Easter Weekend.  



Key Facts&nbsp;



<ul><li>Officially it has been over a year since South African president, Cyril Ramaphosa, announced that country would be going into a hard lockdown to mitigate the spread of the global pandemic, Covid-19.  </li><li>However, the president made it clear that the number of cases has remained “relatively stable” but warns the country should not be complacent.  </li><li>“The number of hospitalizations is declining, as is the number of deaths. Our national recovery rate stands at slightly higher than 95%,” Ramaphosa said in his address.  </li><li>With that being said, alcohol sales for this weekend will be restricted to curb “reckless behavior” over the long weekend. On-site sales at restaurants, shebeens, and bars will still be allowed but just up until 23:00. </li><li>In addition to that, Ramaphosa also announced that South Africa has secured another 20 million dosages of the Johnson &amp; Johnson vaccine. In the middle of February, South Africa began Phase 1 of its vaccination program, which involves the vaccination of health workers. This phase is on track to be completed within three months. Phase 2 is scheduled to start in mid-May. </li></ul>



Crucial Quote



“Any action that puts ourselves or others at risk must be avoided. The restrictions that are in place for our collective health and safety must be observed. Let us be a responsible nation that is forever aware of the presence of the virus. Let us remain at home or in small groups. Let us avoid being in large crowds and places with poor ventilation. Let us not go to funerals unless we are immediate family and not visit the homes of the bereaved. We all have a role in this great national effort to end COVID-19,” Ramaphosa pleaded with South Africa.&nbsp;

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

Restrictions for Easter Weekend In South Africa

Woman examining laboratory samples

Africa Reloaded: The Power Of The Collective In Science And Health

TOPLINE After more than a month of declining new coronavirus infections worldwide, the case count ticked up slightly last week, the World Health Organization said Wednesday — a reversal WHO officials called a “stern warning” as some countries greet the arrival of vaccines by loosening restrictions that reduce the spread of the disease.



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



<ul><li>The WHO <a href="https://covid19.who.int/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">reported</a> nearly 2.7 million new confirmed cases last week, an increase of almost 8% from the week prior, ending a six-week streak of falling case counts.</li></ul>



<ul><li>The number of coronavirus cases grew in <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/Health/wireStory/india-giving-covid-19-vaccines-people-cases-rise-76175604" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">India</a>, <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/the_americas/coronavirus-brazil-vaccine-variant-bolsonaro/2021/03/01/1a03d52a-7a12-11eb-a976-c028a4215c78_story.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Brazil</a>, and parts of Europe last week, and case counts remained fairly stable in the <a href="https://covid19.who.int/region/amro/country/us" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">United States</a>, according to WHO figures.</li></ul>



<ul><li>WHO epidemiologist Dr. Maria Van Kerkhove said at a press conference Wednesday the organization is still trying to figure out why cases are suddenly on the rise again, but she warned fatigue about coronavirus restrictions and optimism about vaccines could cause people to disregard social distancing and mask-wearing measures.</li></ul>



<ul><li>The WHO said a reopening of society is on the horizon thanks to vaccines, but case counts are still too high to disregard basic public health measures, and a resurgence of the virus could force governments to reintroduce stringent lockdowns.</li></ul>



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



“It&#8217;s really important that everyone out there still adheres to these measures in place, because we have quite a ways to go to continue to drive transmission down,” Van Kerkhove said. “If we allow this virus to spread, it will.”



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



114.43 million. That’s how many total coronavirus cases the WHO has reported since early 2020, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://covid19.who.int/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">figures from Wednesday</a>. More than 2.5 million people have died of the virus worldwide, though weekly deaths have declined steadily for the last four weeks.



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



Coronavirus infections peaked globally in early January,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/02/world/portugal-has-europes-highest-death-rate-and-is-desperately-short-of-hospital-beds.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">filling</a>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/uk-health-coronavirus-britain-london/london-field-hospital-to-reopen-as-shortage-of-critical-beds-looms-idUSKBN29C16P" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">up</a>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2020-12-29/oxygen-supply-shortages-bedevil-hospitals-already-overwhelmed-by-covid-19-patients" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">hospitals</a>&nbsp;across several countries and driving daily death tolls to their highest levels since the pandemic began. This problem was possibly exacerbated by new, highly contagious coronavirus variants first spotted in the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/italy-virus-variant-children-d763a3e484cc74be866067a6adf16ced" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">United Kingdom</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2021/03/03/world/americas/Brazil-covid-variant.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Brazil</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/south-africa-coronavirus-variant-infects-two-new-york-city-residents-11614724338" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">South Africa</a>. As cases slope down from their peak and millions of people worldwide get vaccinated,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/alisondurkee/2021/03/01/cdc-chief-is-really-worried-about-states-loosening-covid-19-restrictions-many-are-doing-it-anyway/?sh=e10fea7f415e">many U.S. states</a>&nbsp;have loosened their coronavirus restrictions or&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnn.com/2021/03/02/us/texas-governor-mask-mandate/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">lifted them altogether</a>, and countries like&nbsp;<a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-france/france-eyes-possible-easing-of-covid-restrictions-from-mid-april-idUKKBN2AV1Q5" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">France</a>&nbsp;and the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-56158405" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">United Kingdom</a>&nbsp;are plotting a slower reopening process starting next month. But with case counts still high and variants spreading globally, some experts say it’s too soon to reopen.



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



The WHO’s warnings echoed cautious words from U.S. officials in recent days. Dr. Rochelle Walensky, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, is&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/alisondurkee/2021/02/26/us-covid-19-case-decline-leveling-off-in-very-concerning-shift-as-variants-spread-cdc-director-warns/?sh=16d067d643c5">worried</a>&nbsp;case counts are plateauing or even increasing slightly in the United States. She&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/alisondurkee/2021/02/26/us-covid-19-case-decline-leveling-off-in-very-concerning-shift-as-variants-spread-cdc-director-warns/?sh=16d067d643c5">urged states</a>&nbsp;to hold off on relaxing their restrictions, advice some state officials did not take.



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



<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/alisondurkee/2021/03/01/cdc-chief-is-really-worried-about-states-loosening-covid-19-restrictions-many-are-doing-it-anyway/?sh=e10fea7f415e">CDC Chief Is ‘Really Worried’ About States Loosening Covid-19 Restrictions—Many Are Doing It Anyway (Forbes)</a>



By Joe Walsh, Forbes Staff

RWANDA-HEALTH-VIRUS-EDUCATION

Global Covid Cases Are Increasing Again As WHO Warns Of Premature Relaxation On Social Distancing

Topline: With declining Covid-19 hospital admissions and deaths, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa spoke on Sunday evening to announce the country’s move from Lockdown Alert Level 3 directly to Alert Level 1 and some crucial changes to public restrictions.



Key Facts



<ul><li>Friday, March 5, will mark one year since the first case of coronavirus was reported in South Africa. This comes just as the country has hit over 1.5 million cases and nearly 50, 000 people have died from the fatal virus.&nbsp;</li><li>“So much has changed in our country and our lives. But the spirit of our people has not changed. You have endured the greatest hardships, but you have remained resolute, united, and hopeful,” Ramaphosa said on Sunday evening.</li><li>The president further noted the “dramatic decline” in infection rates recently, thus the decision of the government to reduce the lockdown level to one.&nbsp;</li><li>Moreover, admissions to hospital and deaths “have fallen significantly and continue to decline steadily”. In the week that has just passed, the country recorded just under 10,000 new infections. Ramaphosa believes that the decline is due to a combination of public health measures, changes in social behavior and accumulating immunity in those who became infected in the communities.</li></ul>



Crucial Changes In Restrictions



<ul><li>The hours of the curfew will now be from midnight until 4AM.</li><li>Gatherings will be permitted, subject to limitations on size. These include religious, social, political, and cultural gatherings. However, the maximum number of people allowed at any gathering is 100 people indoors and 250 outdoors. Furthermore, night vigils and nightclubs are still not permitted.&nbsp;</li><li>The sale of alcohol is now allowed as normal however not during the hours of curfew.&nbsp;</li><li>The 33 land border posts that have been closed throughout this period will remain closed, while the other 20 will remain open. Only five airports, OR Tambo, Cape Town, King Shaka, Kruger Mpumalanga, and Lanseria airports, will be open for international travel.&nbsp;</li></ul>



Crucial Quote



“This pandemic has taken much from us, but it has not taken our strength, our courage, or our sense of solidarity as a people,” Ramaphosa said. “It has not dampened our spirit or weakened our resolve. Our uniquely South African spirit has allowed us to remain steadfast in the face of an unprecedented threat, and which will continue to inspire us as we chart a path to recovery.”

SAFRICA-HEALTH-VIRUS

A Year With The Virus, South Africa Moves From Alert Level 3 to 1

The impact of Covid-19 on mental health is also proving deadly, particularly in Africa.



BY PAULA SLIER AND SASHA STAR



PHYSICAL HEALTH HAS BEEN BROUGHT INTO sharp focus over the last year as people watch for any sign of irregular temperature, loss of breath, or a tickle at the back of their throat. Yet, the impact of Covid-19 on mental health is also proving deadly, particularly in Africa where health services were facing a financial struggle long before there was a viral pandemic.



The World Health Organization in 2020 reported that 15 African countries are among the top 30 in the world for suicide per 100,000 people. Mental health is a silent problem when it comes to the continent.



While awareness of such issues may be on the rise globally, cultural and traditional practices in Africa have prevented conditions such as depression and d anxiety receiving the attention they deserve, according to Miyoba Muloongo, a licensed counselor working with Zambia’s Ministry of Health. 



“People relate mental health to witchcraft or superstition because there is less awareness about what the illness really is,” Muloongo says. “There is a stigma related to people who have mental health issues. And sometimes people have mental health issues, but they are not aware; or they may be aware, but are not willing to come forth because of the stigma attached to it.”



Even when those dealing with mental health issues do choose to voice their burden, the disclosure is not always met with encouragement. “I would say the biggest issue is ignorance,” states Kenyan business developer, Andrew Njoroge. “In Africa, people say, ‘How can you be sad? Be happy. Smile!’ That doesn’t solve the issue. You cannot force someone to be happy.”



Njoroge believes that both community members and policy-makers need to get involved to combat the ignorance.



“There needs to be a hybrid solution whereby it’s top-down and bottom-up and they meet in the middle,” he says, while suggesting that the community takes a hands-on approach and the government provides funding and adapts legislature. “Government needs to work on its incentives and community programs, whereas community workers themselves must rally up. You need people on the ground engaging to see who needs help and who is battling mental health. There needs to be a two-pronged approach.”



Community initiatives seem to be the most effective way to assist those afflicted with mental illness, especially in poverty-stricken areas. “We have foundations which are offering appropriate therapy or psychotherapy to people who might be in need but cannot afford to go the private way,” Muloongo says. Volunteers have been trained to listen to adolescents who may not have ventured to clinics but are now able to share their concerns free of charge, while wellness gatherings have been established for men to normalize discussing issues that they would not have spoken about previously. The African concept of an extended family dynamic, where everyone is seen as a relative, is one of the age-old ideologies that is also being adopted to tackle mental health.



“The issue is culture-specific interventions which need to be addressed from the community level because that’s where it all starts from,” believes Muloongo. “That’s where we have the coping mechanisms which we have always used. We would sit around the fire and be told stories on how to cope in general with our grandparents. These methods can still work even this time around.”



Njoroge admits to having anxiety himself and concurs that sharing one’s experience with mental health is the correct way to approach the matter, using the renowned adage ‘a problem shared is a problem halved’. “What I see is more and more people finally speaking out in this day and age of social media and I feel like, in the next five years, there will be more and more people speaking up about their problems,” he says. “I’m speaking my truth so that someone else hears it and it inspires someone else to do so.”

Teenage girl wearing mask sitting in her window

How Mental Health Has Proven To Be The Silent Pandemic

Topline: After what has been one of the most difficult years in history, the highlights of South African finance minister Tito Mboweni’s annual Budget Speech today.



Key Facts



<ul><li>Economy expected to grow by 3.3% in 2021.</li><li>The budget deficit has been revised to 14% of GDP in 2020/21 in response to the spending and economic pressures of the COVID-19 pandemic.</li><li>Gross debt has increased from 65.6% to 80.3% of GDP for the year 2020/21.</li><li>To support economic recovery, government will not raise any additional tax revenue in this budget.</li><li>The government has set aside more than R10 billion for the purchase and delivery of vaccines over the next two years.</li><li>Mboweni said taxpayers would not have to pay more as no new taxes will be introduced to fund vaccines.</li><li>Moreover, the minister said: “We increase the contingency reserve from R5 billion to R12 billion to make provision for the further purchase of vaccines and to cater for other emergencies.”</li><li>In addition to looking at vaccines, there is also a provisional allocation totaling R11 billion for the public employment initiative. Mboweni said with this he hopes to create another 180,000 jobs by March, to add to the temporary 430,000 jobs.</li><li>Small businesses felt the brunt of the pandemic during the year. The Department of Small Business Development has allocated R4 billion over the medium term to the township and rural enterprises, including blended finance initiatives.</li><li>The tourism sector in the country also tanked quite a bit due to travel restrictions, thus why the Department of Tourism has reprioritized R540 million over the medium term to establish the Tourism Equity Fund (TEF) as one of the measures to support the tourism sector recovery. The fund will acquire equity stakes in existing tourism enterprises, support expansion of operations and development of new operations.</li></ul>



Crucial Quote



Mboweni made it clear that South Africa is deeper in debt than they have ever been. He further told members in parliament to note that the “government is not swimming in cash”. 



“&#8230;our assessment from the Supplementary Budget in June last year still stands: our public finances are dangerously overstretched. Our borrowing requirement will remain well above R500 billion in each year of the medium-term despite the modest improvements in our fiscal position. Consequently, gross loan debt will increase from R3.95 trillion in the current fiscal year to R5.2 trillion in 2023/24.”&nbsp;



Mboweni stated further that the country owes “a lot of people a lot of money”.

South African Finance Minister delivers the Mid-Term Budget Review in Cape Town

South Africa Budget: No New Tax For Vaccines

TOPLINE 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.



<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>



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">New York Times</a>’ tracker. The country ranks first in the world for vaccinations, compared to the United States’ 5.1% immunization rate.



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



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>.



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



“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>.



By Joe Walsh, Forbes Staff

ISRAEL-HEALTH-VIRUS-VACCINE

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

TOPLINE: 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. 



<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">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.&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>



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;



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



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;



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



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).



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



<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)



<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)



<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)



By Robert Hart,Forbes Staff

SWITZERLAND-VIRUS-HEALTH-FOUNTAIN

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

The largest free trade area in the world, with a combined GDP of $3.3 trillion, came into effect on the first day of 2021. A look at what exactly implementation of a deal of this magnitude means.



By Paula Slier and Sasha Star



AFRICA’S TRADE RELATIONSHIPS HAVE BEEN irreversibly affected by three events – the Covid-19 pandemic and two important trade agreements.



At midnight on 31 January 2020, the withdrawal of the United Kingdom (UK) from the European Union (EU) officially came into force. The decision – Brexit – made by 52% of the British population resulted in the EU losing its second-largest economy and the Union Jack isolating itself in terms of trade, effectively quarantining in its own home. But for Africa, the move holds opportunities. Untapped export potential to the UK is large as is untapped UK export to Africa; the latter is worth more than $8 billion.



Yet, it is the new trade agreement implemented in Africa where interest should really be directed; 54 of the 55 African Union states on the continent have signed up for the African Continental Free Trade Area agreement (AfCFTA) which came into effect on the first day of 2021. Eritrea is the only country that chose to sit out – and there are various explanations as to why not unconnected to power and politics.



By creating the largest free trade area in the world, 1.3 billion people are now set to benefit from the elimination of tariffs on most goods, the liberalization trade of key services and the address of non-tariff obstacles to intraregional trade. The AfCFTA is estimated to bring Africa annual income gains of more than $130 billion per year.



The deal could not have come at a better time, though this was hardly factored in when the agreement was originally brokered in March 2018. Covid-19 has substantially impacted Africa’s tourism sector that accounts for much of its revenue— particularly for smaller nations — while the trade of goods, oil, and even food has also declined significantly as a result of the novel coronavirus.



“The pandemic has presented a historic opportunity to build a better future,” says the African Department of the International Monetary Fund (IMF). It stresses that “trade integration, along with domestic reforms to improve revenue mobilization, digitalization, competition, social safety nets, and climate-change mitigation, will be critical for the region’s resilience, growth and job creation”.



An extensive reduction of tariffs is the first step towards this. With 90% of taxed intraregional trade flows being contracted under the AfCFTA, current flows are due to increase by around 16%, or $16 billion.



“The AfCFTA, if implemented as laid out in papers, would usher an economic progression that would make China’s remarkable economic transformation look basic,” claims Ibrahim Anoba, the Managing Editor of AfricanLiberty.org.



“We’re talking about a continent with a consumer market as large as China but with a superior mineral and natural resources concentration.” The potential of the AfCFTA is enormous, but, as Anoba points out, this all depends on the players in the game. “The different thing about the AfCFTA is that it would take an absolute commitment from as many signatory states as possible to be efficient,” he says. “The first phase is the conceiving of the idea. The second is implementation; proper implementation. This is where we’re at. We cannot move further unless we do this right.”



What exactly does implementation of a deal of this magnitude mean, though?



With so many players involved, it is understandable that the AfCFTA will be enforced in stages. The instruments that are already operational include the regulations and administrative rulings applied by governments to determine the source of goods, services and investments known as the rules of origin; the monitoring and elimination of non-tariff barriers; as well as the schedule of tariff concessions and other specific commitments.



“Long term, the AfCFTA faces a Brexit type of threat from the larger economies which may feel like they are giving up too much autonomy by being part of the agreement,” warns Jamie Mighti, a South Africa-based political analyst. “This risk is higher in Africa than in the European Union because of increased economic disparities between states and Afrophobic attitudes.” Mighti believes that there are substantial levels of antipathy to the business presence of Africans from other states in the large African economies and that this could present a massive challenge to the success of the AfCFTA.



It is not all doom and gloom, however. Mighti is of the opinion that better inclusion of the youth on the continent is an excellent way to ensure that the agreement will thrive, and that more focus should be placed on aiding small and medium-sized businesses, as opposed to large entities. The IMF also feels that tariff reductions should be complemented by policies to reduce non-tariff bottlenecks to trade, and that agriculture-based and less diversified countries should combine trade policies with structural reforms that boost agricultural productivity to better leverage existing comparative advantages.



Overall, the AfCFTA has been packaged as an opportunity to lead Africa down a path of prosperity, or fall into greater economic depravity that will take decades to equalize. As Anoba sums up, “If things go according to plan, we can finally expect Africa to emerge as the global economy’s heartbeat a decade from now.”

Foreman control loading Containers box from Cargo freight ship

Will The AfCFTA Be The Heartbeat Of The Global Economy?

TOPLINE 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;



<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>



“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.



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



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.



By Rachel Sandler, Forbes Staff

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

TOPLINE 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.



<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>



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>.



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



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.



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



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.



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



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.



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



<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)



<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)



<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)



<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)



By Robert Hart, Forbes Staff

Tag: Covid-19 spike

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