Premier of the Western Cape, Alan Winde has warned against the potential resurgence in Covid-19 cases in South Africa – as part of a third wave of infection.
“We will face another wave of Covid-19 infections in our country,” Winde said in his State of the Province Address on Wednesday (17 February).
“We must make sure we are fully prepared to save lives, to save jobs and to bring hope back in 2021. To achieve this objective, the Western Cape Government has adopted a four-pronged strategy,” he said.
This includes the preparation of a successful rollout of vaccines.
While it is not possible to know precisely when this third wave will start, a surge will likely take place during the South African winter, he said.
His warning dovetails that of health minister Dr Zweli Mkhize, who said earlier this month that South Africa should prepare for the impact of a possible third wave of Covid-19 infections.
Mkhize said that there is a possibility that the third wave could be even more damaging than the previous two waves which have hit the country.
“What we have seen is that in most of the countries the second wave has come to be much heavier, fiercer, and cost more lives. It is also likely that we might face a third wave,” he said. “There is no way of being able to prevent it (the third wave). Its impact will probably be more devastating.”
Nations globally have rushed to access Covid-19 vaccine supply in recent months, to offset any further pandemic spread.
South Africa meanwhile, began administering the Johnson & Johnson Covid-19 vaccine to health workers on Wednesday, following the arrival of a consignment of the shots.