COVID-19: Behind SA’s shortages of test materials
Like many other countries, South Africa is struggling to access adequate testing materials to scale up COVID-19 testing. Catherine Tomlinson investigates.
COVID-19: Interview with a Cape Town doctor on the frontlines
Since January Dr Arifa Parker has served at the coalface of South Africa’s fight against COVID-19. Biénne Huisman chatted to her about what life is like in the eye of the storm.
COVID-19 Report 2: Questions that don’t yet have answers
This is the second issue of the COVID-19 report published jointly by GroundUp and Spotlight. We point you to the latest quality science on the pandemic.
COVID-19: The pandemic’s impact on mental health
While the primary threat posed by COVID-19 is to people’s physical health, the pandemic is also taking its toll on economies, social and cultural activities, and people’s mental health. Spotlight spoke to mental health experts in the public, private and NGO sectors to hear how the COVID-19 pandemic is affecting the mental health of people in South Africa.
COVID-19: Prisons, overcrowding and preventing transmission
Over 163 000 people are in correctional facilities in South Africa. Outbreaks of COVID-19 in these prisons can have catastrophic consequences for both prisoners and the public healthcare system. Professor Lukas Muntingh unpacks the issues at stake.
COVID-19: Level 4, what’s different?
On 1 May South Africa will enter a new phase of lockdown – level 4. Spotlight explains the different levels of lockdown and answers some questions surrounding what is allowed under level 4.
#Whatsitlike: Essential workers in the kitchen at Pholosong Hospital
Spotlight visited the kitchen of Pholosong Hospital in Tsakane, Brakpan to meet some of the essential workers whose job it is to make sure patients are well-fed and to find out how they are preparing for COVID-19.
COVID-19: Don’t take BCG vaccine away from kids who need it for TB, experts say
The use of the BCG vaccine for an unproven indication is irresponsible and may deplete BCG stocks for young children, for whom it has been proven to be a lifesaving preventive tool against TB, argue a group of leading experts.
COVID-19 Report: Understanding the most important science of the past week
Many journalists, including us, are finding the quantity of science reports on COVID-19 overwhelming. We introduce a new occasional column to help make sense of the information overload. The aim of this occasional column, which we’re calling COVID-19 Report, will be to alert reporters in South Africa (and anyone else who is interested) to the best and most important science, and also clear up misconceptions.
COVID-19: The legal and public health sides of forced isolation
Two provinces have said they will force people with COVID-19 to isolate in state facilities irrespective of whether they can safely self-isolate at home. Kathryn Cleary investigates the legal and public health side of these decisions.
COVID-19: SA’s TB response already impacted
South Africa’s extensive COVID-19 response is already impacting the fight against tuberculosis (TB) with a decline in TB testing and at least one TB ward being turned into a COVID-19 ward.
COVID-19: Is SA’s testing criteria too restrictive?
There are some healthcare workers who feel South Africa’s COVID-19 testing criteria should be broadened. Amy Green asked some local health experts for their views.