Medical aids need to take Covid-19 initiative

IT CLEARLY seems the government is out of its depth regarding the Covid crisis in South Africa, with Minister Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma taking the Mampara Award for her ban on cigarette sales.

This is another world first and has a similar ring to the garlic and beetroot theory to counter the HIV/ Aids scourge two decades ago.

A mampara does not change its spots.

South Africa is in a major crisis and the fatalities keep climbing.

The government has not given any idea regarding which vaccine is to be rolled out, nor given citizens the option to acquire their own medication.

This excludes even how long it will take.

The US is looking at April, when any citizen will have this vaccine available on demand or a visit to a medical centre.

It is time that the medical aids in South Africa conduct their own research (it is strange that this has not already been done).

Discovery, which I call “the Republic of Discovery” for all its flowery gimmicks, schemes and incentivising people to lead active and healthy lifestyles, should be a forerunner in the launch.

Some may argue this is elitist, but once a medical aid commences, this will be rolled out to larger sections of society.

The most favoured vaccine is the Astra Zeneca/Oxford product, for the simple reason in terms of logistics. The temperature required is fridge temperature, unlike the Pfizer Biontech, which requires a temperature of around -70ºC.

The Astra Zeneca vaccine has an efficacy rate of 62%, and patients will need two doses.

It is high time the medical aids begin their own roll-out and institute an urgent legal application (similar to the cigarette ban) for the legal distribution of a viable Covid-19 vaccine. | Durban North