Lockdown level 1 could onset fourth wave of COVID-19, SAMA warns

The South African Medical Association (SAMA) has warned that government’s decision to move the country from adjusted alert level two lockdown to adjusted alert level one lockdown could make the onset of the fourth wave of the coronavirus pandemic earlier than predicted.

Some medical experts have predicted that parts of the country will start to experience the fourth wave of the pandemic at the end of this year or the beginning of next year.

On Thursday night, President Cyril Ramaphosa announced that cabinet had decided to relax the lockdown regulations under which the 700 people are now allowed to gather indoors and 2 500 outdoors.

Adjusted level one restrictions:

SAMA chairperson Dr. Angelique Coetzee says, “That is my personal opinion, this is a political move, a political special. It is going to give us an early outbreak. We have seen what happened, we have seen how people behave. For me this is very sad.”

Lockdown restrictions relaxed:

Meanwhile, President Ramaphosa is leading the inaugural Vooma Vaccination Weekend in Katlehong, Gauteng.

Vooma Vaccination Weekends aim to mobilise citizens and people living in South Africa to get vaccinated as a means to fight the COVID-19 pandemic.

SABC News reporter Chriselda Lewis is giving an update on the Vooma Vaccination: