South Africa is refusing to order lockdowns to combat the new omicron coronavirus variant, labeled a variant of concern by the World Health Organization. Leaders in South Africa, where the variant was first sequenced, are instead calling for calm. “We…know that the coronavirus will be with us for the long term,” said South African president Cyril Ramaphosa in public remarks on Nov. 28. “We must therefore find ways of managing the pandemic while limiting disruption to the economy and ensuring continuity.” Ramaphosa, who criticized travel restrictions on South Africa and other countries in the region by the UK, US, and others, declined to tighten domestic lockdown measures. That leaves South Africa at “alert level one” of a five-tier lockdown strategy including mask mandates, a 12 AM-4 AM curfew, and ban on indoor gatherings of more than 750 people. The latest variant comes after three earlier rounds of strict lockdowns in South Africa that crippled the country’s economy, especially for the urban poor and unemployed. South Africa’s politicians appear unwilling to bear the economic cost of another lockdown. The nation will now rely on vaccines and testing as their primary tools to fight the spread of the virus. The strategy may signal a new era in the fight against covid-19 globally.
SOURCE: QUARTZ AFRICA
More Stories
African and Global Firms Contribute towards Harris’ Empowerment Fund
The Main Winners in Nigeria’s Botched Currency Overhaul are Two Chinese-owned Fintech Apps
The Growing Opportunities that African Pharmaceuticals Present
Africa’s Extraction and Export of Raw Materials is Rising
Accra’s Plan on a Debt-free Life
Mauto is Preparing Benin—and Africa—for an e-bike Ride
Rwanda’s Long History of Mining
Disease Stops Trade in East Africa’s Border Towns
A Marketplace for Medical Equipment in Addis
South African Rate Hike Exceeds All Expectations
At the Coalface of the Green Revolution, but Earning Crumbs
Harris Stresses that U.S. Interests in African Nations Extends beyond Competing with China