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| New Omicron variant: Does southern Africa have enough vaccines? | New Omicron variant: Does southern Africa have enough vaccines? |
| (2 days later) | |
| Vaccination outreach programmes have been ramped up in South Africa | Vaccination outreach programmes have been ramped up in South Africa |
| A sharp rise in Covid infection rates in parts of South Africa is being linked to the new Omicron variant. | |
| It was first identified in South Africa and has led to new border restrictions being imposed around the world to prevent its spread. | |
| The new strain is "no surprise", says former UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown, who added that the failure by richer countries to share vaccine doses is "coming back to haunt us". | The new strain is "no surprise", says former UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown, who added that the failure by richer countries to share vaccine doses is "coming back to haunt us". |
| So do countries in southern Africa have enough vaccines, and are they reaching the people who need them? | So do countries in southern Africa have enough vaccines, and are they reaching the people who need them? |
| How do vaccination rates compare? | How do vaccination rates compare? |
| The global average is more than 100 doses per 100 people, and many richer countries have far exceeded that. | The global average is more than 100 doses per 100 people, and many richer countries have far exceeded that. |
| But in South Africa, only 42 doses have been administered per 100 people. | But in South Africa, only 42 doses have been administered per 100 people. |
| Vaccination rates have risen recently but are still well below the target of 300,000 doses per day. | |
| On 1 December, 160,000 jabs were administered in South Africa - most of them first doses. | |
| Elsewhere in the region, the rates are even lower. Lesotho has given out fewer than 30 doses per 100 people, and Namibia just 25. | Elsewhere in the region, the rates are even lower. Lesotho has given out fewer than 30 doses per 100 people, and Namibia just 25. |
| Covid vaccines: How fast is worldwide progress? | Covid vaccines: How fast is worldwide progress? |
| Is there enough supply? | Is there enough supply? |
| African countries have relied on a combination of bilateral deals, donations and the Covax vaccine-sharing scheme to get jabs rolled out. | African countries have relied on a combination of bilateral deals, donations and the Covax vaccine-sharing scheme to get jabs rolled out. |
| Earlier this year, countries struggled to get supplies via Covax, but the situation improved in July and August. | Earlier this year, countries struggled to get supplies via Covax, but the situation improved in July and August. |
| This video can not be played | This video can not be played |
| To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. | To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. |
| Covax vaccine plan: What is it and how does it work? | Covax vaccine plan: What is it and how does it work? |
| Although the supply of doses to African countries has increased, the Global Vaccine Alliance (Gavi) says donations so far have been "ad hoc, provided with little notice and short shelf lives". | Although the supply of doses to African countries has increased, the Global Vaccine Alliance (Gavi) says donations so far have been "ad hoc, provided with little notice and short shelf lives". |
| This makes it extremely challenging for countries to plan vaccination campaigns, Gavi said in a recent statement. | This makes it extremely challenging for countries to plan vaccination campaigns, Gavi said in a recent statement. |
| In South Africa, for example, last week the health ministry delayed the delivery of more vaccine doses because it had too much stock. | In South Africa, for example, last week the health ministry delayed the delivery of more vaccine doses because it had too much stock. |
| The country's deputy director-general of the health department told Reuters news agency that South Africa had 16.8 million doses in stock. | The country's deputy director-general of the health department told Reuters news agency that South Africa had 16.8 million doses in stock. |
| We have reported on several African countries having to throw away vaccine doses because they exceeded their expiry dates. | We have reported on several African countries having to throw away vaccine doses because they exceeded their expiry dates. |
| Data provided by the Airfinity research project suggests that 384 million doses have been delivered to Africa for a population of more than 1.2 billion people. | Data provided by the Airfinity research project suggests that 384 million doses have been delivered to Africa for a population of more than 1.2 billion people. |
| South Africa has had 32.5 million doses delivered, in a population of about 40 million adults. | South Africa has had 32.5 million doses delivered, in a population of about 40 million adults. |
| Botswana has had about 2.4 million doses delivered for a population of 2.3 million, and Namibia about one million for 2.5 million people. | Botswana has had about 2.4 million doses delivered for a population of 2.3 million, and Namibia about one million for 2.5 million people. |
| Why the low uptake? | Why the low uptake? |
| Uneven supply has clearly been a problem, but the fact South Africa has had to delay the delivery of doses suggests there is also something else going on. | Uneven supply has clearly been a problem, but the fact South Africa has had to delay the delivery of doses suggests there is also something else going on. |
| South Africa's Health Minister Joe Phaahla suggests "fake news" is playing a role in making people - especially younger age groups - unsure about the vaccine. | South Africa's Health Minister Joe Phaahla suggests "fake news" is playing a role in making people - especially younger age groups - unsure about the vaccine. |
| There is a lot of fear - sometimes driven by misinformation or a lack of good information - about the safety of the vaccine. | There is a lot of fear - sometimes driven by misinformation or a lack of good information - about the safety of the vaccine. |
| Serious complications are extremely rare, based on evidence from wide-scale clinical trials and the billions already jabbed, and pale in comparison to the complications from Covid, even in younger people. | Serious complications are extremely rare, based on evidence from wide-scale clinical trials and the billions already jabbed, and pale in comparison to the complications from Covid, even in younger people. |
| Some of the claims circulating are outright false, but some are based on an element of truth - that you can still get Covid after being vaccinated, for example. | Some of the claims circulating are outright false, but some are based on an element of truth - that you can still get Covid after being vaccinated, for example. |
| Research in partnership with South Africa's health department found this has led some people to believe vaccines don't work. | Research in partnership with South Africa's health department found this has led some people to believe vaccines don't work. |
| But that's not the case - you may still catch Covid, but for most people it will be far milder because the vaccine reduces symptoms, keeps people out of hospital and massively reduces deaths from the virus. | But that's not the case - you may still catch Covid, but for most people it will be far milder because the vaccine reduces symptoms, keeps people out of hospital and massively reduces deaths from the virus. |
| Problems reaching more rural areas | Problems reaching more rural areas |
| Fear of side effects and safety were identified as two of the biggest reasons people weren't getting vaccinated. But the third was access, including the time it takes to travel to vaccination centres. | Fear of side effects and safety were identified as two of the biggest reasons people weren't getting vaccinated. But the third was access, including the time it takes to travel to vaccination centres. |
| In north-west South Africa, many people in rural communities don't have easy access to vaccination sites, according to the report produced for the health department. | In north-west South Africa, many people in rural communities don't have easy access to vaccination sites, according to the report produced for the health department. |
| There have also been issues with supply in certain areas, with sites running out of doses before they've vaccinated everyone who's turned up to be jabbed. | There have also been issues with supply in certain areas, with sites running out of doses before they've vaccinated everyone who's turned up to be jabbed. |
| Sarah Downs, a researcher in vaccines and infectious diseases at Wits University in Johannesburg, said there was "a lot more hesitancy than anti-vax rhetoric" in South Africa. | Sarah Downs, a researcher in vaccines and infectious diseases at Wits University in Johannesburg, said there was "a lot more hesitancy than anti-vax rhetoric" in South Africa. |
| And in some cases there were barriers to people being vaccinated, such as clinics not going out to where people are, or a misconception that they have to pay for the vaccine. | And in some cases there were barriers to people being vaccinated, such as clinics not going out to where people are, or a misconception that they have to pay for the vaccine. |
| Poor public transport in some areas has also made it more difficult and expensive for people to get to a clinic, she said. | Poor public transport in some areas has also made it more difficult and expensive for people to get to a clinic, she said. |
| As an example of how these different factors can play out, a survey by the University of Johannesburg found white people were more vaccine-hesitant than black people, but white people were also more likely to have had the jab, possibly because of better access to healthcare. | As an example of how these different factors can play out, a survey by the University of Johannesburg found white people were more vaccine-hesitant than black people, but white people were also more likely to have had the jab, possibly because of better access to healthcare. |
| GLOBAL SPREAD: Tracking the coronavirus pandemic | GLOBAL SPREAD: Tracking the coronavirus pandemic |
| SYMPTOMS: What are the symptoms of the coronavirus? | SYMPTOMS: What are the symptoms of the coronavirus? |
| VARIANTS: How worrying are the new coronavirus variants? | VARIANTS: How worrying are the new coronavirus variants? |
| TRACKER: Coronavirus cases in Africa | TRACKER: Coronavirus cases in Africa |