The World Health Organisation and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are tracking a new, highly mutated lineage of the virus that causes Covid-19. Six cases in four countries have been detected since late July. Scientists are keeping an eye on the new lineage, named BA.2.86, because it has 36 mutations that distinguish it from the now dominant XBB.1.5 variant. So far there is no evidence that BA.2.86 spreads […]
With the festive season around the corner Western Cape residents are urged to get vaccinated. Health officials have indicated that there's early signs of the start of the fourth wave in the Western Cape. Over 4 million people have been vaccinated in the province. 42% of the total adult population in the Western Cape have been fully vaccinated. Head of Health Dr Keith Cloete said over the past few weeks […]
President Cyril Ramaphosa announced that South Africa will move to adjusted level 1 restrictions from adjusted level 2 from Friday. If you have still not registered for the vaccine and are confused about the registration process, we have compiled a brief guide. Who can register for vaccination? As of 20 August, all South Africans aged over the age of 18 are able to be register for vaccination. The vaccination phases […]
NATIONAL Newly-appointed Health Minister Dr Joe Phaahla says he’s confident that approving the use of the Sinovac vaccine will accelerate government’s vaccine roll out. The South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA) approved the use of the vaccine last month. The vaccine will be used to innoculate those who are aged 18 and older. This inclusion will start on 1 September. Phaahla says they have procured over 40-million vaccine doses from now until the end […]
The South African Democratic Teachers Union (Sadtu) says the Department of Basic Education has failed to reach its target of vaccinating over half a million teachers and support staff against the coronavirus. Thursday is the deadline set by the department to complete the roll-out in the education sector which started 15 days ago. The teachers union says over 400 000 teachers have received their shots. Sadtu General Secretary Mugwena Maluleke […]
President Cyril Ramaphosa says he’s pleased with the commitments made at the G7 Summit around COVID-19 vaccines and global economic recovery. Speaking from Cornwall in the United Kingdom, he says the G7 leaders have pledged more vaccine support as well as boosting manufacturing capacity in the less developed world. The “most advanced” countries committed to share one billion doses of vaccines through COVAX. However, the pledge doesn’t represent entirely new […]
Prof Glenda Gray, co-principal investigator of the Sisonke implementation study, which is providing health-care workers with Covid-19 J&J vaccines, said on Monday morning the suspension of the inoculations is expected to be lifted soon. The vaccinations were paused by the SA Health Products Regulatory Authority (Sahpra) on Tuesday night last week, the same day the US Food and Drug Administration paused its J&J rollout because of extremely rare and severe […]
A vaccination campaign aimed at beating an outbreak of Ebola in Congo began on Monday in the port city of Mbandaka, where four cases of the deadly disease have been confirmed. Use of the VSV-EBOV shot - an experimental vaccine developed by Merck - marks a “paradigm shift” in how to fight Ebola, said the World Health Organization’s head of emergency response, and means regions with Ebola outbreaks can in […]
VOC became the first Muslim radio station in South Africa when a special events license was granted to the station in Ramadan/January 1995. Subsequent temporary broadcast licenses were granted, permitting the station to broadcast for 24 hours.
