South Africa announces 'vaccine passport' plans, eases restrictions - Capital Business
Connect with us

Hi, what are you looking for?

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa on Wednesday invited investors to explore vast business opportunities in the country's sectors including mining and agriculture as the government has kept improving the business environment../COURTESY

Coronavirus

South Africa announces ‘vaccine passport’ plans, eases restrictions

JohannesburgSouth Africa, Sept 13 – South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa on Sunday announced plans to introduce Covid-19 “vaccine passports” amid widespread scepticism of the jab, ahead of an easing of movement restrictions this week.

After sluggish vaccine procurement and a delayed roll out, Africa’s worst-hit country for Covid is now struggling with low take-up, particularly among men.

In a televised address to the nation, Ramaphosa stressed that an immunised adult population was key to fully reopening the economy and avoiding a fourth infection wave.

In two weeks, we will “be providing further information on an approach to ‘vaccine passports’, which can be used as evidence of vaccination for various purposes and events”, he said without providing further details.

But he added that “a sustained decline in infections… over the last few weeks” would allow for an easing of confinement measures from Monday.

A night-time curfew will be shortened, starting at 11:00 pm instead of 10, and limits on indoor and outdoor gatherings will be increased.

Restrictions on the sale of alcohol will also be relaxed, although face masks remain mandatory in public.

 

– Vaccination the priority –

 

Advertisement. Scroll to continue reading.

South Africa has passed the peak of a stubborn third infection wave driven by the Delta coronavirus variant, said Ramaphosa.

The average number of daily new infections has been 29 percent lower over the past seven days than during the previous week, and 48 percent lower than the week before that, he added.

“Our most urgent task is to vaccinate our population,” he said, noting that jab supplies “were no longer a constraint”.

“If many people are not vaccinated… the chance of new and more dangerous variants emerging is far greater,” he warned.

Just over seven million people in South Africa have been fully vaccinated to date, with more than a quarter of all adults jabbed with at least one dose.

The country aims to inoculate 40 million South Africans — around two thirds of the population — by March next year.

Authorities have recorded more than 2.8 million coronavirus cases since the pandemic hit, of which at least 84,877 of been fatal.

Scientists in the country have been keeping tabs on a new homegrown variant with an unusually high mutation rate dubbed C.1.2., although its frequency remains low.

Advertisement. Scroll to continue reading.
Advertisement

More on Capital Business

Tourism

DURBAN, South Africa, Feb 5 – The number of tourists visiting South Africa increased by nearly half last year, boosted by new favorable visa...

Climate

NAIROBI, Kenya, Jan 25 – International members of the Plastics Pact Network (PPN) met in South Africa this week for the first time to...

Africa

CAPE TOWN, Jan. 19 (Xinhua) — The South African Heritage Resources Agency (SAHRA) said on Friday that it will continue its fight to prevent...

World

JOHANNESBURG, Dec. 12 (Xinhua) — The South African government will begin the process of adding 2,500 megawatts (MW) to its nuclear capacity, with the...

Technology

CAPE TOWN, Nov. 14 (Xinhua) — The Africa Tech Festival, one of Africa’s largest tech expos, kicked off Monday here in the legislative capital...

Africa

JOHANNESBURG, Oct. 31 (Xinhua) — Following the introduction of tax incentives and financing mechanisms, the installed capacity of rooftop solar systems in South Africa...

World

CAPE TOWN, Sept. 19 (Xinhua) — South Africa is going to train and deploy over 2,300 tourism monitors to enhance safety of tourists in...

World

CAPE TOWN, Sept. 5 (Xinhua) — South Africa has got “significant benefits” from the BRICS, President Cyril Ramaphosa said Tuesday. He made the remarks...