Face to face: “Fail your way to success”, says Prof behind pioneering drug discovery group at UCT

Posted in: Healthcare Workers, Latest

Technical work on the discovery of new medicines is not commonly done in South Africa, or Africa, for that matter. One person who is at the forefront of changing this, is Kelly Chibale, a professor in organic chemistry and founder of the pioneering Holistic Drug Discovery and Development Centre – H3D – at the University of Cape Town. Biénne Huisman spoke to Chibale about his fascinating work and his journey from a village in Zambia, across the world, and back to Cape Town.

Face to face: “Fail your way to success”, says Prof behind pioneering drug discovery group at UCT

COVID-19: What next as shots expire and become harder to get?

Posted in: COVID-19, Healthcare system, Latest

Millions of doses of the Pfizer-BioNtech COVID-19 vaccine procured by the South African government have expired and the shot is largely unavailable to people in the country. Meanwhile, earlier this month, the World Health Organization declared an end to the COVID-19 ‘Public Health Emergency of International Concern’. Adele Baleta asks what all this means for COVID-19 in South Africa.

COVID-19: What next as shots expire and become harder to get?

Why SA is not getting the new bivalent SARS-CoV-2 vaccines

Posted in: COVID-19, Latest

The Department of Health is not planning to buy the new COVID-19 bivalent booster vaccines, specifically tailored to target Omicron variants, anytime soon. Adele Baleta looks into the reasoning behind this decision.

Why SA is not getting the new bivalent SARS-CoV-2 vaccines

COVID-19: Binning of jabs a ‘shocking indictment’ of vaccination campaign, says health expert

Posted in: Spotlight

COVID-19 vaccine doses destined to be binned next month are “a shocking indictment” and questions need to be asked about just how effective the country’s vaccination drive has been, some public health experts say. Ufrieda Ho reports.

COVID-19: Binning of jabs a ‘shocking indictment’ of vaccination campaign, says health expert

COVID-19: Benefits of vaccines still far outweigh risks, experts say

Posted in: COVID-19, Latest

The benefits of approved COVID-19 vaccines still far outweigh the risks, experts say following a recently reported death in South Africa linked to Johnson & Johnson’s COVID-19 vaccine. Adele Baleta reports.

COVID-19: Benefits of vaccines still far outweigh risks, experts say

Analysis: Will red tape hold back mix-and-match vaccine boosting in SA?

Posted in: COVID-19, Healthcare system, Latest

Unlike regulators in the United States and Europe, the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority has not yet given the green light for any form of mix-and-match COVID-19 vaccine boosting. We take a look at the regulatory issues standing in the way of people in South Africa who received the Johnson & Johnson jab being offered Pfizer boosters.

Analysis: Will red tape hold back mix-and-match vaccine boosting in SA?

We need to vaccinate 90% of over-35s – Madhi

Posted in: COVID-19, Healthcare system, Latest

Government can avoid the overwhelming of health services and minimise death in an anticipated fourth COVID-19 wave in November/December by getting 90% of people in South Africa over 35 years old vaccinated before then. Life could then return to normal by Christmas, even with ongoing SARS-CoV-2 circulation, contends vaccinologist Professor Shabir Madhi.

We need to vaccinate 90% of over-35s – Madhi

COVID-19: Crisp on the challenges with SA’s vaccine rollout

Posted in: COVID-19, Latest

Dr Nicholas Crisp is a deputy director-general in the National Department of Health and the person responsible for coordinating South Africa’s COVID-19 vaccine rollout. Crisp spoke to Chris Bateman about challenges with the rollout and his wife and daughters getting sick with COVID-19.

COVID-19: Crisp on the challenges with SA’s vaccine rollout

Editorial: Government should explain plans in wake of J&J setback

Posted in: COVID-19, Latest

Jabs from Johnson & Johnson were central to plans to scale up South Africa’s COVID-19 vaccination programme. With news that a first consignment of two million doses cannot be used, it is critical that government play open cards with the public about its revised vaccination plans and timelines and what steps it is taking to procure more vaccines faster.

Editorial: Government should explain plans in wake of J&J setback

Hits and misses of the national vaccine rollout – experts weigh in

Posted in: COVID-19, Latest

Government has been criticised for the slow pace of the country’s vaccine rollout which started on 17 May 2021. Elri Voigt spoke to experts to hear what is being done right in this vaccine rollout and where improvements are needed.

Hits and misses of the national vaccine rollout – experts weigh in

COVID-19: Numbers escalating in Free State schools

Posted in: COVID-19, Free State, Latest, Provinces

While it is uncertain when teachers in the Free State will receive vaccinations during this third wave, the number of COVID-19 infections and deaths in the province’s schools continues to increase. Refilwe Mochoari reports.

COVID-19: Numbers escalating in Free State schools

Trial of potentially variant-proof vaccine ongoing in Western Cape

Posted in: COVID-19, Latest

An experimental COVID-19 vaccine currently in Phase I trials being run by the University of Cape Town has a unique design that might allow it to offer better protection against current and future variants of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Elri Voigt provides an update on the trial and unpacks the science behind this vaccine candidate.