Latest News & Developments
Chemicals in green tea, black tea, and matcha (powdered green tea) are effective in inactivating the Omicron subvariant of Covid-19.
WHO was seeing an increase in Covid-19 cases worldwide, as well as an increase in the number of hospitalisations and patients in intensive care units, which is ‘more worrying. ’
Recently, the latest variant, EG. 5 (also known as Eris), had grabbed the attention of public health experts around the world
South Africa’s Department of Health is urging people to get vaccinated.
The latest omicron offshoot is particularly prevalent in India, where it has sparked a rise in infections, and a return to mask mandates in parts of the country.
Dr Velile Ngidi a public health medicine specialist said as health professionals it is illegal for them to give a patient medication without explaining to them what it was.
South Africa has been urged to increase the rate of Covid-19 testing.
The National Health Department said it would not be imposing any travel restrictions or internal measures after the detection of a new Omicron subvariant, XBB. 1. 5, but the country will soon update its vaccination programme.
The new variant, XBB. 1. 5 or “Kraken variant”, is one of the 100 sub-variants of the Omicron strain.
The minister said they have engaged scientists, the World Health Organization and the ministerial advisory committee, who suggested that there is no need to impose travel restrictions internally or for any country.
Passengers should be recommended to wear masks in high-risk settings such as long-haul flights.
The variant, which was first discovered in gene sequencing carried out by researchers at Stellenbosch University, is said to be from the Omicron lineage.
The variant was discovered in gene sequencing carried out by researchers at Stellenbosch University from a December 27 sample.
At present, there is no vaccine in the world that can completely prevent infection.
While you can’t control the climate or the masses or the airlines, you can take some steps to avoid common pitfalls.
The Canadian federal government has announced the removal of all Covid-19 entry restrictions, effective from October 1.
The World Health Organization has strongly advised against antibody treatments for Covid-19 patients, saying antibody drugs sotrovimab and casirivimab-imdevimab are not working on new variants.
South Africa is on many overseas visitors’ bucket list with data showing that international travellers are booking further in advance in 2022 than they did in 2019.
Global reductions in Covid-19 testing may have impacted on the detection of the new Omicron Covid-19 sub-variant, BA 2. 75.
Social media has unofficially nicknamed the Omicron BA. 2. 75 subvariant as ‘Centaurus'.
While the existing coronavirus vaccines continue to provide good protection against hospitalisation and death, vaccine effectiveness has taken a hit as the virus has evolved.
There were more than 2 000 people on board, and more than 100 passengers and staff tested Covid-19 positive.
The sub-variant was first reported in India, according to the World Health Organization (WHO) chief scientist, Soumya Swaminathan.
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) panel of 21 medical experts has unanimously approved the use of Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccines on children aged 6 months to 5 years.
The US government is planning for a June 21 start to its under-5 vaccination campaign should the vaccines from Moderna and Pfizer/BioNTech receive FDA authorisation.