President Cyril Ramaphosa moves SA to level 2

SA will move to lockdown level 2 from Monday.

President Cyril Ramaphosa on Saturday already confirmed that tighter restrictions were on the cards as SA enters its third wave of the Covid-19 pandemic.

He said there have been a sustained average 3,745 daily new infections — a 67% increase on the previous week.

“Infections are just going up and we must do everything in our power to mitigate this. We once again have to remind South Africans to be vigilant and protect themselves and each other.”

The ministerial advisory committee on Covid-19 has recommended the country urgently implements further restrictions, based on increased hospitalisations and positive tests.

“Cabinet has therefore decided that we should be placed on alert level two from tomorrow.”

Ramaphosa also expressed concern about the rising number of infections in the Northern Cape, saying the province has shown the highest infections per capita in the country at nearly 34 per 100, followed by the Free State with nearly 15 per 100 infections.

As the country enters its third week of the government’s phase 2 vaccination programme, targeting those over the age of 60, there were fears that tighter restrictions may lead to further job losses, curfews and the banning of alcohol.

The third wave of Covid-19 has taken hold and could be significantly worse than the second, experts told the Sunday Times.

“I'm concerned we are sitting on a potential third wave which is 25% higher than the second wave,” said Covid-19 ministerial advisory committee member professor Ian Sanne, an infectious diseases specialist who heads Right to Care, a health organisation at the Covid frontline.

Wits University infectious diseases specialist professor Francois Venter said: “I think it is clear we are in the midst of a third wave, with huge differences by provinces. We need to accelerate vaccinations hugely.”

This was echoed by Dr Gesine Rath-Meyer from the South African Covid-19 Modelling Consortium, who said: “We need to get vaccinating faster to possibly see an impact on the third wave.”