90% protection against Covid in Western Cape

WESTERN CAPE NEWS - Premier Alan Winde today (Thursday 13 January) again called for the normalising of the country's response to Covid-19 and an end to the national state of disaster.

Data collected by scientists in the province shows that 90% of the adult population in the Western Cape have protection against COVID-19 already.

"The Provincial Department of Health has been closely studying the seroprevalence of COVID-19 in our communities and is finding higher levels of protection among the general population against COVID-19 already," said Winde.

Looking at those who have protection from either prior infection or vaccination, nearly 90% of adults had protection before the fourth wave.

"If we look at those who had antibodies from infection only, we find that this figure varied between 40% and 72% depending on the patient analysed in the study."

The department also found:

* 25% higher protection in the public sector compared to the private sector.
* People living with HIV (PLWHIV) have slightly higher protection, at 72% compared to public sector diabetics at 66%.
* Hospitalised children have similar levels of protection to diabetics.

Winde said the data also shows how being fully vaccinated resulted in a 3 times lower risk of COVID-19 admission, and nearly 4 times lower risk of COVID-19 death, when compared to those who were unvaccinated.

Decoupling between cases, admissions and deaths

During the fourth wave, there has been a growing gap or decoupling between the high number of cases, and relatively low number of admissions and deaths compared to previous waves.

"Our experts have found that while there were 14% more cases than the third wave peak, new admissions are currently only at 63% of the third wave peak. Deaths also stand at only 24% of the third wave peak."

This is attributed to high levels of protection among the general population as a result of vaccines and prior infection. There is also some early data suggesting Omicron may be less severe than Delta.

He said he supports Western Cape Minister of Education Debbie Schäfer in calling for the scrapping of the 1 metre social distance rule at schools, and for a full return to school for all learners, in all grades.

"The consequences of not doing so, especially when noting this new health data, will be catastrophic for the future of our young people, especially for those in poorer communities. It must come to an end before Western Cape schools return next week."