Did SA’s lack of Covid-19 jabs prompt US travel advisory?  

It seems, to put it in colloquial language, that South Africa just can’t catch a break when it comes to how people around the world view us.

We are already labouring under the hugely unfair tag of the “South African variant” of Covid-19, which is seemingly terrifying everyone.

Now, the United States has issued a travel advisory to its citizens, warning visitors against coming here.

The US state department’s bureau of consular affairs said: “Do not travel to South Africa due to Covid-19. Exercise increased caution in South Africa due to crime and civil unrest.”

According to the advisory, the “Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has issued a level 4 travel health notice for South Africa due to Covid-19, indicating a very high level of Covid-19 in the country”.

We all know crime and protests are an issue here, but Covid is currently under control better than in many countries – so why the warning?

We wonder if it has anything to do with the fact this country has inoculated so few people.

The Americans themselves have vaccinated 200 million in just 100 days and at least a dozen African countries are ahead of us.

This is a stark warning: vaccinate or be shunned.