South Africa is ready to survive with COVID-19, no plans to impose lockdown or quarantine: Report

South Africa health systems are at risk due to COVID-19, and the government of South Africa decided to take a more practical approach. Health care systems state that the nation is ready to live with COVID-19, and their government is not planning to impose lockdown and quarantine.

According to sources, the government of South Africa itself said they take a more practical approach while keeping an eye on harsh COVID-19 and whether or not health systems are imminently under threat.

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As per South Africa medical experts, limitations on the nation, livelihood, and other societies have indirect but harmful effects.

They added, the authorities should not blindly follow the COVID-19 restrictions being imposed around the world, which are impossible to implement locally and provide only marginal benefits.

However, to date, South Africa recorded over 3.5 million COVID-19 cases with about 93,278 deaths, with a total of 3,360,879 discharges and 102,476 active cases due to coronavirus.

The country is spinning under the fourth wave of the COVID-19 pandemic fueled by the Omicron variant, which was seen in November last year.

The government’s new approach is empty and can be harmful and increase the cases of COVID-19.

According to some health specialists, the authority should note the comment that suggested focusing on whether healthcare facilities are imminently under threat rather than simply going to more elevated levels of lockdown.

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A survey carried out by some professionals found that the emergence of the Omicron variant in South Africa revealed that exemption against severe COVID-19 primarily developed through natural disease throughout the first three waves and before the introduction of vaccination.

They added that the T cell immunity is relatively unaffected by Omicron and decreases the risk of severe disease.

The government has opted for the steps to ensure safety due to Omicron and COVID-19, such as higher vaccine uptake, including booster doses and a more pragmatic approach to isolation is warranted, keeping in mind the low COVID-19 testing figures in the country.

According to the experts, there is also room for gradually relaxing non-pharmacological interventions that should abandon the symbolic gesture of “hand hygiene” and superficial thermal screening.

Instead, the imposing new rules government should focus on interventions such as putting the proper mask and ventilated indoor spaces and ensuring adequate ventilation.