Seen this graphic being shared prolifically. Don’t think it yet proves what many want it to. Only 11% of South Africans have been vaccinated, so to draw inferences of the impact that is having on current admissions is statistically unsound. However there’s a broader point. 🧵 
The graphic shows admissions for COVID at Groote Schuur hospital. According to available data the facility has just short of 900 beds. It’s also the main referral centre for the Western Cape and surrounding provinces. Thus you’d expect it to be reflective of healthcare resources.
If that is the case then in a province of more than 7 million people a total of 156 people are hospitalised for COVID with 66 of them in high care/ICU and 32 being ventilated. Therefore only 17.5% of the beds at the Western Cape’s premier hospital are occupied by COVID patients.
Obviously there are other hospitals, including the State & private sector, so many hundreds of other patients are also admitted, but it’s significant in a good way that only 0.002% of the entire population in that province is requiring care at their flagship healthcare facility.
Given the severe economic (read health) impact the lockdown is having on communities, most especially the poor, one has to question why we are still under such restrictions let alone an alleged state of disaster. What must the number of admissions be before people can exist?
This is over and above the fact that we were sold lockdown as a measure to ‘prepare the healthcare system’. Based on these numbers released by Groote Schuur it seems clear that the system is well prepared and coping even though our vaccination rate is pretty dismal (11%).
At this point everyone knows what COVID is. They know the measures Government claim help ‘slow the spread’, and they know that they can get vaccinated. It appears as if SARS-CoV-2 (the virus which causes the COVI disease) is endemic and here to stay. Why do restrictions remain?
• • •
Missing some Tweet in this thread? You can try to
force a refresh
