Thread by @LLopezGonzalez

South African Health Minister Joseph Phaahla reacts to new #COVID19 travel bans: “The reaction of countries to impose travel bans are completely against the norms and standards as guided by the World Health Organisation." #B11529

Preliminary studies do suggest the #B11529 variant may be more transmissible, says South African Health Minister Joseph Phaahla. He emphasises that what scientists know about the #COVID19 variant is in its infancy. There is no evidence to suggest the variant makes you sicker.

South African Health Minister Joseph Phaahla: "All that we, did together with our scientists who made this discovery of the #B11529 variant, was to be in line with the norms and standards of the international community.”

"We should act with transparency to say that our very able scientists, who were in the process of monitoring the genomic makeup of the virus, came across significant changes in the make up of the virus,” says South African Health Minister Joseph Phaahla. #COVID19 #B11529

South African Health Minister Joseph Phaahla: "South African scientists simply said that, just as has been the case with other mutations, some of them have been more transmissible without increasing the severity of the disease. This is early stages.” #COVID19 #B11529

Phaahla: "The same countries that are enacting this kind of knee jerk, draconian reaction [#COVID19 travel bans] are battling their own waves." He adds that many European countries are seeing daily infection rates much higher than SA. "This is not scientific ." #B11529

South African Health Minister Joe Phaahla confirms that the #UnitedKingdom imposed a #COVID19 travel ban without engaging South Africa for any further or clarifying information. #B11529

South African Health Department Acting Director-General Nicholas Crisp says the first he heard of #COVID19 travel bans against the country was at 10pm last night when the British High Commission messaged to apologise for the travel ban. #B11529

South African Health Department Acting Director-General Nicholas Crisp says there is a real risk that #COVID19 travel bans disincentivize countries from reporting new variants. South Africa's government has called travel bans "unscientific." #B11529

Right to Care CEO Ian Sanne saying #COVID19 cases remain under 3,000 a day. "We have every indication that vaccines are still effective in preventing severe disease & complications. Data is however small and early. Identification of this variant was just last week." #B11529

"We do think #B11529 is more transmissible and has already spread quite widely across South Africa. Laboratory tests are underway and will have more immunology work undertaken by next week." - @righttocaresa CEO Ian Sanne #COVID19

South African Health Minister Joseph Phaahla: "#COVID19 travel bans are the wrong approach & misdirected. The leaders of some countries are finding scapegoats to deal with a worldwide problem.” #B11529

Phaahla: “#COVID19 is a global health emergency. We must work together, not punish each other. Witch hunts don't benefit anyone. South Africa wants to be an honest player in the world, to share health info not just of benefit to S. Africans and citizens of the world.” #B11529

South African Health Dept Acting Director-General Nicholas Crisp says he has information that the WHO will likely dub the #COVID19 #B11529 a variant of concern and will award it a Greek letter name. This has not yet been confirmed publically by the WHO.

No talk of a hard #COVID19 lockdown in South Africa on today's South African Health Department briefing in response by #B11529

South African Deputy Health Minister Sibongiseni Dhlomo confirms the WHO meeting on #B11529 is still ongoing. Says the United States has no indication of imposing a #COVID19 travel ban on South Africa, based in part on remarks from Anthony Fauci.

South Africans can likely expect *some* increased restrictions to help avert increasing cases of the #COVID19 #B11529 says pharmacist expert Andy Gray. He adds however that govt is making careful calculations about economic impacts & the social acceptance of those.

South African Health Minister Joe Phaahla says #covidvariant travel bans are largely coming from the European Union & neighbouring countries. Again, Deputy Health Minister Sibongiseni Dhlomo says he believes indications are that the United States will not impose a ban #B11529

Rudo Mathivha is a doctor at Soweto's large Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital in South Africa: "We have already changes in profile of #COVID19 patients. We are seeing young 20s - late 30s presenting with moderate to severe Covid disease. 65% of those are not vaxxed." #Covid19sa

Rudo Mathivha is a doctor at Soweto's large Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital in South Africa: "I'm worried as numbers go up that public health institutions are going to be overwhelmed. I see no preparation in getting those institutions ready for a surge response." #COVID19sa

WHO is likely to issue a press release in the next hour revealing whether the #covidvariant #B11529 will be designated as a variant of concern or variant of interest, says South Africa's @Tuliodna

@Tuliodna De Oliveira says WHO, int'l experts attending today's high-level meeting shared South African scientists concerns about #covidvariant #B11529 & commended South Africa for coming forward and its continued transparency on #COVID19. SA scientists have met with US' Anthony Fauci