South African Covid-19 News and Discussions

Status
Not open for further replies.
Brian_G

Brian_G

Honorary Master
Joined
Feb 7, 2020
Messages
12,230
Let's compare S.A. to Australia in this low fatalities respect - last I read a couple of days back they only had 30 deaths (compared to our 11), and I think aren't yet in full LD.
They have supposedly been a couple of weeks or so ahead of us with developments, so then it appears to be very equal-ish numbers.

So then, what's the difference between them and other proper 1st world countries which haven't been experiencing strong winter but have much higher figures?
There's soo much still not understood.
 
Gordon_R

Gordon_R

Honorary Master
Joined
Jul 5, 2009
Messages
20,817
Brian_G said:
Let's compare S.A. to Australia in this low fatalities respect - last I read a couple of days back they only had 30 deaths (compared to our 11), and I think aren't yet in full LD.
They have supposedly been a couple of weeks or so ahead of us with developments, so then it appears to be very equal-ish numbers.

So then, what's the difference between them and other proper 1st world countries which haven't been experiencing strong winter but have much higher figures?
There's soo much still not understood.
Click to expand...

Geographical isolation, and border enforcement. Australia is super-strict on biosecurity (try importing fruit or biltong!?) Their worst outbreak was a cruise ship docking in Sydney Harbour.
 
Brian_G

Brian_G

Honorary Master
Joined
Feb 7, 2020
Messages
12,230
Gordon_R said:
Geographical isolation, and border enforcement. Australia is super-strict on biosecurity (try importing fruit or biltong!?) Their worst outbreak was a cruise ship docking in Sydney Harbour.
Click to expand...
Yeah, I agree re the borders biosecurity. Their whole security approach has always been very anal, even their bus walls (used to be) covered with signs about what may not be done and the "penalties" involved.

International isolation - not so much IMO, they're a very popular destination, and last I knew had a major issue with Chinese illegals.
But maybe the very spread out population comes into it.
 
The_Right_Honourable_Brit

The_Right_Honourable_Brit

High Tory
Joined
Mar 6, 2004
Messages
41,699
Inside Covid-19: NYIT's Dr Otazu on his research BCG may provide shield; How SA medics protect themselves - Ep 12

In episode 12 of our Inside Covid-19 podcast, much needed hope for South Africa’s fight against the virus as research from a top US university suggests the BCG vaccination against TB, administered in the country for the past 80 years, provides protection against Covid-19. More on that coming up, including an interview with assistant professor Dr Gonzalo Otazu, head of the NYIT research team whose paper is global reshaping thinking and has sparked a fresh wave of clinical trials. Also in this episode, a US-based South African is spearheading a drive to get a skin prick Covid-19 testing kit into the market and we go to Groote Schuur for a peek into how SA medics are preparing for the expected wave of coronavirus patients
Click to expand...
 
Brian_G

Brian_G

Honorary Master
Joined
Feb 7, 2020
Messages
12,230
What happens to a landlocked and surrounded country like Lesotho? Are they allowed to travel here if important enough?
 
M

Mirai

Honorary Master
Joined
Oct 21, 2017
Messages
11,241
Chris_the_Brit said:
Inside Covid-19: NYIT's Dr Otazu on his research BCG may provide shield; How SA medics protect themselves - Ep 12
Click to expand...

France: The BCG was mandatory for school children between 1950 and 2007
Spain: Past national BCG vaccination policy for all from 1965 to 1981.
United Kingdom: The UK introduced universal BCG immunization in 1953. From then until July 2005, UK policy was to immunize all school children aged between 10 and 14 years of age, and all neonates born into high-risk groups.
 
W

wingnut771

Honorary Master
Joined
Feb 15, 2011
Messages
28,144
Mirai said:
France: The BCG was mandatory for school children between 1950 and 2007
Spain: Past national BCG vaccination policy for all from 1965 to 1981.
United Kingdom: The UK introduced universal BCG immunization in 1953. From then until July 2005, UK policy was to immunize all school children aged between 10 and 14 years of age, and all neonates born into high-risk groups.
Click to expand...
there goes that theory.
 
M

Mirai

Honorary Master
Joined
Oct 21, 2017
Messages
11,241
Brian_G said:
They stopped earliest it seems? They've got the biggest problem of the three (if I recall correctly)?
Click to expand...

UK is catching up. But compared to Italy - NO BCG vaccination at all - it seems strange.
 
M

MiW

Executive Member
Joined
Sep 18, 2009
Messages
9,313
Mirai said:
UK is catching up. But compared to Italy - NO BCG vaccination at all - it seems strange.
Click to expand...
My thought is that they were looking for what 'protects' the younger population and someone connected BCG , which seems to keep antibodies on average for 15-20 years. That is just personal opinion based on the Aus trails, I don't have any extra info.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top