Digital contact tracing apps can successfully contribute to the management of viral outbreaks. These apps can even be designed to protect privacy rights and to work across borders.
Most healers still practice in their houses where there is little privacy. Others use more private backrooms. But these spaces were not designed for the practice of traditional medicine.
South Africa’s National Treasury now proposes to reduce salaries. On the face of it this seems sensible. But the fundamental issue is the structure of the public service.
Disruptions to schooling at the lower grades should be remedied, otherwise there could be a serious impact on the quality of Matriculants a decade or more from now.
Grade 9 learners in top and lower performing schools have difficulties with the same topics in maths. This has implications for curriculum revision and for teaching.
It is important to understand that not everyone should be tested and that the timing and correct use of the different types tests is important in order to gain the best results.
Resolution of South Africa’s fiscal crisis depends on faster economic growth which must be led by private investment. Fiscal consolidation is necessary but without growth debt will not stabilise.
A safe, effective COVID-19 vaccine is expected to be developed in record time and may be approved for production, distribution and acceptance some time in 2021.
The African continent has the highest burden of gonorrhoea worldwide. In South Africa alone, it’s estimated that more than 2 million new cases occur annually.
Whistle blowers in South Africa don’t get the support they deserve.This includes lack of legislative backing as well as support from society, employers and professional bodies.
As lockdown restrictions are relaxed, it is key to continue high-impact non-pharmaceutical interventions that will not impede economic activity, but limit the spread of COVID-19.
The unique challenges of the pandemic changed the way community organisations work. Organisations that worked in silos during other emergencies bundled their expertise and resources.
Hand hygiene is a critical part of the response to COVID-19. Washing hands at regular intervals during the day is essential. If water and soap are unavailable, hand sanitisers are an alternative.
The data concerning both the spread of the virus and the indirect consequences of the lockdown indicates that no similar action is justified moving forward.
Dean Faculty of Health Sciences and Professor of Vaccinology at University of the Witwatersrand; and Director of the SAMRC Vaccines and Infectious Diseases Analytics Research Unit, University of the Witwatersrand