People queue in line for the Covid-19 vaccination at Universitas Hospital on June 24, 2021 in Bloemfontein, South Africa. It is reported that the COVID-19 vaccination of teachers and support staff started on June 23rd and will end on July 08 and all school staff will qualify for the jabs. (Photo by Gallo Images/ Volksblad/Mlungisi Louw)
On Tuesday, the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) reported 8,988 new Covid-19 cases in South Africa.
The NICD, a division of the National Health Laboratory Service mandated to monitor Covid-19 in South Africa, said that there is now 2.470,746 laboratory confirmed cases countrywide, an increase that represents 19.8% positivity rate.
“As per the National Department of Health, a further 555 Covid-19 related deaths have been reported, bringing total fatalities to 72 992 to date,” the institute said.
It said that testing continues across the country, with 14.971,894 tests having been conducted in both public and private sectors.
The institute has also appealed to citizens who have been vaccinated to report any adverse effects following immunisation (AEFI).
“All health events after vaccination are important to investigate, because vaccines are given to healthy people,” the instutute said.
“Therefore, whilst some mild and short-lasting symptoms are acceptable, moderately severe and severe side effects are not acceptable, and should be fully investigated to understand if the vaccination was responsible. If the public understands that all ‘adverse effects following immunisation’ are taken seriously, and appropriate action is taken, people will have more trust that vaccines are safe.”
It said that an AEFI is any detrimental health event which happens after a person receives a vaccine.
“A ‘health event’ is a symptom (something with a person complains of, for example a ‘headache’ or ‘difficulty seeing’) or a ‘sign’ (something a health practitioner notices about a patient, for example, raised blood pressure).”
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“The health event may or may not be caused by the vaccine. For example, the following are adverse events following immunisation a person who receives a COVID-19 vaccine and then has a stroke, a heart attack or a death in a motor vehicle accident. Any of these events may or may not be associated with vaccination, but all of these events are ‘AEFI’. An AEFI usually occurs within 28 days following vaccination, but there is no time limit to reporting an event,” explained the institution.
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