There is no need to reimpose COVID-19 restrictions in South Africa or any restrictions on travelling, especially relating to visitors from China.
These are the words of Health Minister, Dr. Joe Phaahla, during a virtual media briefing this afternoon, January 10.
The briefing follows the detection of a new COVID variant, the XBB.1.5 variant, by the Genomics Surveillance Network at Stellenbosch University a few days ago.
According to Phaahla, this is not a completely new variant but a subvariant of the Omicron variant, which remains the most dominant one, accounting for about 97% cases in the world at the moment.
He added that no information about the patient is available as the specimen was submitted to the Genomics team as a random sample.
According to Phaahla, although Omicron is dominant in China and the country has been showing increased rates of infections and fatalities during the month of December 2022, South Africa has been advised by the Ministerial Advisory Committee that there is no need to impose travelling restrictions on tourists entering South Africa from China.
“There is also no need to reimpose any restrictions in our country. I want to emphasise that there is no major chance of severe illnesses, death or hospitalisation with this subvariant,” he said.
He added that people have been concerned about the COVID-19 challenges that China is currently facing but said that it is not necessarily because of this variant, but rather because China itself has opened up the country for travelling and people are moving about freely.
The minister said that the Ministerial Advisory Committee has made some recommendations that have been approved by the National Coronavirus Council (NCC). They are as follow:
- Testing in South Africa should be increased.
- Doctors are encouraged to do antigen and PCR tests.
- All positive tests specimens are to be sent to the NHLS.
- Vaccination campaigns should be reinvigorated.
- There should be increased surveillance of testing. Wastewater from aircrafts will now also be tested, especially those carrying passengers from China and the US.
Another panelist in the media briefing, Dr. Michelle Groome, said that the detection of the XBB.1.5 is not at all unexpected.
“Omicron has many, many subvariants. Just because this variant is dominant elsewhere, does not mean that it will become dominant here. It has been in the US since October and while there is some evidence that it is slightly more transmissible, this evidence is weak. There is nothing proving that the variant will increase severity in illness,” she said.
Also a panelist, Dr. Lesley Bamford indicated that adjustments will be made to the criteria of those eligible for boosters within the next few weeks.
“Our intention is to add additional doses and the expectation is that they will be available as soon as possible, closer to the end of the month,” she explained.
This dates will be communicated in due course.
Those wanting to find their nearest vaccination and booster site, can visit www.findmyjab.co.za.
