PRETORIA – Health Minister Dr Joe Phaahla will today receive his Johnson & Johnson booster shot as part of the first group of health-care workers who received their first jab under the Sisonke trial vaccination drive between February and May this year.
Department of Health spokesperson Foster Mohale said the booster shots are critical at this stage.
“Booster doses are needed at some stage of the pandemic especially considering new variants emerging, and boosted immune responses may translate into improved protection, including against variants of concern,” Mohale said.
“They potentially impact on reducing breakthrough infections and may increase protection against hospitalisation.”
President Cyril Ramaphosa, who is fully vaccinated, is in isolation after testing positive for Covid-19 over the weekend.
Yesterday, close to 14 000 new Covid-19 cases in South Africa were reported by the National Institute of Communicable Diseases (NICD) in a 24-hour cycle, along with 11 related deaths.
“Today the institute reports 13 992 new Covid-19 cases that have been identified in South Africa, which brings the total number of laboratory-confirmed cases to 3 180 785,” the NICD said last night.
It further confirmed 11 Covid-19 related deaths yesterday, which brings South Africa’s cumulative Covid-19 related deaths to 90 148.
Gauteng remains the epicentre of Covid-19 in South Africa as the province contributed 48% of yesterday’s new cases, and the Northern Cape the lowest contributor of cases at only 1%.
The Western Cape contributed 10% of South Africa’s new Covid-19 cases yesterday, the NICD reveals.
Premier of the Western Cape Alan Winde confirmed yesterday, that the province has officially entered its fourth wave of infections based on infection rates for the last week.
IOL