[Thread] @Tuliodna:
1. On Fri, SA scientists will meet with @WHO to discuss a new variant detected, B.1.1.529. The variant will then get a Greek name
2. B.1.1.529 has an exceptionally high nr of mutations - some could lead to the variant being able to escape immunity
@Tuliodna:
1. The B.1.1.529 variant was discovered on 23 November
2. There will be an expected 200-300 cases in next few days, cases will increase fast
3. The reproduction #SARSCoV2 number (how many other people one infected person will infect) in SA is rising. When it's bigger than 1, it's concerning. Nationally, the nr is now 1.47 and in Gauteng it's 1.93.
4. These graphs show that B.1.1.529 is no longer spreading in cluster outbreaks only, it's become a sustained or wider spread/increase.
5. @Tuliodna: There has been a rapid increase in #COVID19 cases in Tshwane district (many of them B.1.1.529 cases). But the B.1.1.529 cases have started to spread to rest of GP, particularly to Jhb and Ekurhuleni.
6.@Tuliodna:
* B.1.1.529 has more than 30 mutations in the spike protein of #SARSCoV2 (far more than both #Beta + #Delta)
* Some of the mutations we haven't seen before, but others have been linked to the ability of a variant to be more transmissible and escape immunity

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More from @miamalan

25 Nov
[Thread] What is the potential impact of the new B.1.1.529 #COVID19 variant?
@rjlessells:
1. It's relatively simple to detect some B.1.1.529 cases, as it's possible to use PCR tests to do this in some cases
2. B.1.1.529 = has many mutations across different parts of the virus Image
2. Some of the mutations of the B.1.1.529 variant are situated around the spike protein that might affect how well our antibodies neutralise the #SARSCoV2 virus (so it might escape immunity to some extent).
3. Some of the mutations of B.1.1.529 look similar to mutations that have been found on other variants of concern that enhance those variants' transmissibility.
Read 10 tweets
22 Nov
JUST IN [Thread] 1. There's an increase in the nr of #COVID19 cases and the proportion of tests coming out positive, says @nicd_sa.

WHERE? Gauteng, mostly in Tshwane
AGE GROUPS in Tshwane = most affected:
- 10-29 years (past week)
- 20-44 at a higher education institute
2. Do the new cases signal the beginning of a fourth #COVID19 wave?
- We don't know yet, localised (in other words the cases are mostly only in Tshwane) increases in cases are expected
3. Is a new variant emerging?
- Genomic sequencing in SA shows no evidence of this. But it takes time to transport samples + analyse them, so the results we have go hand-in-hand with a bit of a delay, which means we're mostly looking @ results of samples of a few weeks ago.
Read 5 tweets
17 Nov
[Thread]. 1. What will influence the severity of a 4th #COVID19 wave?

New variants.

We don't know if there will be a new variant, but we do know that each previous SA wave was driven by a different variant:

Wave 1: Original form of SARS-CoV-2
Wave 2: Beta
Wave 3: Delta
2. What can we not for certain say about a 4th #COVID wave?

* We cannot predict if + when a new variant will emerge + what it will look like
* SA's modellers = decided to use a variant that can escape immunity (make jabs work less well) 4 their modelling 2 look @ a 4th wave
3. What else can influence what a 4th #COVID19 wave looks like?

Vaccination coverage.

Where are we at?
* About 16 million adults, or 40% of adults, have received at least one dose of vaccine
* 34% of adults = fully vaccinated

.
Read 16 tweets
12 Nov
#Phaahla:
Which countries accept SA's digital vaccination certificate?

[Thread]

SA = not yet negotiated with countries, @healthza 1st needed 2 upgrade the security features of the cards

Why? Whether a country accepts a card depends on the features = in place 2 prevent fraud
2. Have any of the #VaccineRollOutSA digital vaccine certificate security features been upgraded so far?

Yes. The QR code on the cards will go live next week. That means 3rd parties will be able to scan the code to verify if the data on the card is valid.
3. What security features on #VaccineRollOutSA digital vaccine certificates still need to be upgraded?

A digital/cryptographic signature needs to be added. #JoePhaahla says that will go live by the end of Nov (you'll then have to download a new card).
Read 5 tweets
10 Nov
[Thread] 1. Five provinces in SA have fully vaccinated more than a third of adults against #COVID19.

Fully vaccinated = 1 shot of #JnJ or 2 shots of #Pfizer.

1. Limpopo: 41.6%
2. WC: 38.7%
3. FS: 38.3%
4. EC: 37%
5. NC: 33.5%

SA (national) fully vaccinated % = 32.5%
2. What is our goal?

We want to vaccinate 70% of people of 50+ with one shot of #COVID19 vaccine by the end of December (so before a 4th wave).

Where are we?
60+: 63.31%
50-59: 57.11%
3. Has any province covered 70% of people of 60+ with 1 #COVID19 vaccine shot?

Yes, Limpopo has vaccinated 76.17% of people of 60+ with one dose of vaccine (1 #JnJ or 1 #Pfizer shot).

WC isn't far off: 69.12% of 60+ = covered with 1 shot. (EC, KZN and FS = all above 65%)
Read 7 tweets
8 Nov
[Thread] 1. How many #COVID19 #vaccine doses has SA received and used since the start of #VaccineRollOutSA?

@HealthZA :
The total number of #JnJ and #Pfizer doses received by Nov 8 = 37,764,320
2. What's the breakdown — how many #JnJ and #Pfizer doses has #VaccineRolloutSA received?

@HealthZA :
JnJ: 10,695,200

Pfizer: 27,069,120
- Pfizer (bilateral agreement): 17,799,210
- Pfizer (COVAX): 1,392,300
- Pfizer (US donated doses via COVAX): 7,877,610
3. How many #COVID19 vaccine doses did #VaccineRolloutSA buy via bilateral agreements with #JnJ and #Pfizer?

@HealthZA :
#JnJ: 30,738,250 in Feb (we’ve received 10,695,200, so 34,8%)

#Pfizer: 30,002,310 in March (we’ve received 17,799,210 so 59,3%)
Read 17 tweets

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