Political parties urged to be cautious in last push before election day

On Monday, millions of South Africans will head to voting stations to cast their ballots in the local government elections. 

Fears of super-spreader events linked to election campaigning have been expressed by Department of Health Minister Joe Phaahla. 

However, election day on 1 November is not a particularly worrying event for the department, Phaahla said in the weekly Covid-19 media briefing on Friday morning, and it is too early to tell of the real effect of election campaigns. 

“But this is not a point of comfort.” 

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This is because the true effects of super-spreader events only materialise seven to 15 days after the fact. 

The days leading up to Monday are especially risky, and may be made more risky by large political gatherings. 

Adhere to protocols

Phaahla said although most gatherings are held outdoors, there are still significant risks when large crowds gather and make use of minimal social distancing and masks. 

There is also singing, shouting and ululating, which in close proximity can easily spread Covid-19. 

Phaahla has appealed to all political parties to approach their final push to the elections “with caution”. 

“Limit the numbers to save lives. Keep the distance. Make sure supporters wear masks.

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“We will only know after 15 November if we went through the elections safely and escaped unscathed through campaigns and the elections themselves.” 

Vaccination stats

Just over 22 million vaccine doses have been administered, with just over 15 million people receiving at least one jab. This translates to 37.9% of the adult population. 

30% of the adult population are officially fully vaccinated. Phaahla said he was confident that by mid-November, 40% of adults will have received at least one dose of either Johnson & Johnson or Pfizer. 

The priority is for 70% of adults over 50 to receive their shots. 

Just under 100,000 people aged between 12 and 17 have received one dose of the Pfizer vaccine. Numbers are expected to increase once school exams are completed and school holidays begin. 

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It is hoped that once the 2022 school year begins, most secondary school pupils will have received their Pfizer jab.

Regarding the vaccination certificate, just over 2.8 million have been downloaded so far.

Current Covid-19 stats

The rate of infection over the last 14 days has remained stable. As of Thursday, there were currently 18,568 active cases. 

This is a significant improvement compared to one month ago, where the country stood at 46,577 active cases. 

3,939 people have been admitted to hospital for Covid-19, but one month ago, this figure was at around 6,000. 

New cases over the past week have reduced by 22%, and fatality rates have decreased by 18%. 

The country’s positivity rate currently stands at 1.7%. It is slightly higher in the Northern Cape, but still a “marked reduction”. 

The infection rate also remains stable. 

“But we are not yet out of the woods,” Phaahla warned.

“Any lowering of our guard can lead to a serious catastrophe. We want to do everything possible so we don’t go back to [hard lockdown].”