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Gauteng Braces For Third Wave

Healthcare workers at the bedside of a patient admitted to the Nasrec field hospital in Gauteng during the coronavirus pandemic. Health MEC Bandile Masuku visited the facility on Friday, 3 July 2020. Picture: @BandileMasuku/Twitter

Gauteng is bracing for a third wave of the coronavirus.

Premier David Makhura says the province is currently vulnerable as the drop in the number of infections has stopped while the Easter weekend looms.

He says the province’s vaccination programme is being delayed by the slow rollout across the country.

The Gauteng government wants to vaccinate all its health workers, most of the elderly and those with co-morbidities before winter.

The provincial command council says a third wave could be triggered over the next few weeks.

“We are highly vulnerable to super spreader events,” said Professor Bruce Mellado of the Gauteng COVID-19 Advisory Council.

“This is a time when we have to be extremely careful about the fact that things like super spreader events will now become the trigger for the third wave. So we have to be extremely alert.”

Makhura has cautioned residents to protect themselves.

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