#YouAsked Covid-19 Is it true that the new coronavirus is a vascular virus and not a respiratory virus? Source Presentation by Dr Jaco Laubscher Short answer Is it true that the new coronavirus is a vascular virus and not a respiratory virus? Dr Jaco Laubscher, a Stellenbosch-based physician, has claimed that Covid-19 “is a vascular problem and not a respiratory problem”.He argues that Covid-19 is a disease that affects blood vessels and not the lungs. Therefore, the way the condition is treated by health professionals should change.... Back Full answer
#YouAsked Covid-19 Is the big Covid-19 wave still coming? Source South African Covid-19 Modelling Consortium Short answer Is the big Covid-19 wave still coming? In May, the South African Covid-19 Modelling Consortium estimated that the peak in active Covid-19 cases in South Africa is likely to be somewhere between early July (in a pessimistic scenario) and early August (in an optimistic scenario). The initial lockdown measures and social distancing delayed ... Back Full answer
#YouAsked Covid-19 How has Covid-19 spread so quickly? Source The University of Texas at Austin Short answer How has Covid-19 spread so quickly? Two measures are relevant to this question: how many people someone with Covid-19 infects and how long it takes to do so.Experts have calculated the basic reproduction number (R0) of Covid-19 to estimate how contagious the disease is. R0 is the number of people an infected person is likely to infect... Back Full answer
#YouAsked Covid-19 Health Are there fewer overall deaths in South Africa during the coronavirus pandemic? Source Report on weekly deaths in South Africa (South African Medical Research Council) Short answer Are there fewer overall deaths in South Africa during the coronavirus pandemic? The Burden of Disease Research Unit of the South African Medical Research Council has been using information from the National Population Register and historical data from 2018 and 2019 to estimate the number of deaths that could be expected during 2020. They compare it with deaths registered during... Back Full answer
#YouAsked Covid-19 Has there been an increase in reported rapes since the lockdown started in South Africa? Source South African Police Service Short answer Has there been an increase in reported rapes since the lockdown started in South Africa? According to a release from the South African Police Service, there was a decrease. A total of 371 rapes were reported from the start of the lockdown (27 March 2020) to 20 April 2020. In the corresponding period last year (29 March to 22 April 2019), a total of 2,908 rapes were reported.... Back Full answer
#YouAsked Covid-19 How many people have been infected with the new coronavirus at the East London Correctional Centre in South Africa? Source Department of correctional services Short answer How many people have been infected with the new coronavirus at the East London Correctional Centre in South Africa? As of 15 April, 56 inmates and 26 officials had tested positive for Covid-19, according to the department of correctional services.... Back Full answer
#YouAsked Covid-19 Does the flu vaccine increase the risk of catching Covid-19? Source National Institute for Communicable Diseases Short answer Does the flu vaccine increase the risk of catching Covid-19? The research on which the claim of an increased risk is supposedly based, was done before the discovery of the new coronavirus and Covid-19.The National Institute for Communicable Diseases has “strongly recommended” that South Africans get flu shots to prevent flu from putting pressure on ... Back Full answer
#YouAsked Covid-19 Are swabs that are being used to test if you have Covid-19 contaminated? Source South African Police Service Short answer Are swabs that are being used to test if you have Covid-19 contaminated? A South African man was arrested after claiming, in a video, that swabs were being used globally to spread the new coronavirus. He told South Africans to resist getting tested.There is no evidence that test kits in South Africa have been contaminated.... Back Full answer
#YouAsked Covid-19 Is there a coronavirus vaccine trial in South Africa? Source South African health minister Short answer Is there a coronavirus vaccine trial in South Africa? South Africa was not yet participating in vaccine trials for Covid-19, health minister Zweli Mkhize said on 7 April. But it is part of a study of the World Health Organization to see if existing treatments can help fight the virus.... Back Full answer