WHO Africa encourages the use of the AstraZeneca vaccine despite variants

WHO Africa encourages the use of the AstraZeneca vaccine despite variants

by
Western countries have 'accumulated' vaccines from Covid. Africa is being left behind as cases increase
“While a vaccine that protects against all forms of Covid-19 disease is our greatest hope, preventing serious cases and hospitalizations that overburden hospitals and health systems is crucial,” said Dr. Matshidiso Moeti, WHO regional director for health. Africa in a news briefing Thursday.

The second wave of Covid-19 in Africa, which peaked in January, was more deadly than the first, according to Dr. Moeti. She noted that “deaths have increased by 40% in the last 28 days compared to the previous 28 days”.

The increase in deaths on the continent has left health workers and health systems “dangerously overburdened,” she said.

With the launch of vaccines, “if the cases remain mostly mild and moderate and do not require critical care, then we can save many lives,” added Dr. Moeti.

In addition to the increase in deaths, Covid-19 variants are spreading across the continent – with seven other countries now reporting variant B.1351 that was first detected in South Africa – including Ghana, Kenya, Comoros, Botswana , Mozambique and Zambia.
Why the coronavirus variant in South Africa hurt vaccines - and why many are still hopeful

Two people who traveled from Tanzania to the United Kingdom carried the variant linked to South Africa, although Tanzania has not updated Covid-19 data since late April and denies that the virus exists in the country.

Six countries on the continent have also identified variant B.1.1.7 first detected in the United Kingdom.

Vaccines are not yet being widely implemented in Africa, but WHO expects substantive implementations to begin in March.

Separately, WHO recognized two fatal cases in a new Ebola outbreak in northern Congo’s Kivu province, where 200 contacts are being tracked.

.Source