#YouAsked Covid-19 Health Is it true that if you are not vaccinated for Covid-19 you can’t receive the Older Persons Grant? Source President Cyril Ramaphosa Short answer Is it true that if you are not vaccinated for Covid-19 you can’t receive the Older Persons Grant? No. Legally, no one can be forced or coerced into taking the vaccine. This was affirmed by President Cyril Ramaphosa when he addressed parliament on 3 September 2021: “No one should be forced to be vaccinated. Instead, we need to use the available scientific evidence to encourage — repeat encour... Back Full answer
#YouAsked Covid-19 Health How many patients were hospitalised with Covid-19 at Groote Schuur hospital on 6 September 2021? Source UCT Faculty of Health Science Short answer How many patients were hospitalised with Covid-19 at Groote Schuur hospital on 6 September 2021? According to UCT’s Faculty of Health Science, there were 254 patients hospitalised with Covid-19 on 6 September 2021. ... Back Full answer
#YouAsked Covid-19 Health Does Covid-19 cause hair loss? Source American Academy of Dermatology Association Short answer Does Covid-19 cause hair loss? Temporary hair loss is normal after a fever or illness and fever is a common symptom of Covid-19. A few months after having a high fever or recovering from an illness, many people see noticeable hair loss. While many people think of this as hair loss, it’s actually hair shedding. The medical na... Back Full answer
#YouAsked Covid-19 Health Does wearing a mask actually help reduce the risk of Covid-19? Source Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Guidance for Wearing Masks Short answer Does wearing a mask actually help reduce the risk of Covid-19? Covid-19 spreads mainly from person to person through respiratory droplets. Respiratory droplets travel into the air when you cough, sneeze, talk, shout or sing. These droplets can then land in the mouths or noses of people who are near you or they may breathe these droplets in. Masks are a simple b... Back Full answer
Welfare & population What is the divorce rate in South Africa? Source Stats SA: Marriages and Divorces 2019 Short answer What is the divorce rate in South Africa? According to STATS SA’s most recent Marriages and Divorces report, the observed crude divorce rate was 40 divorces per 100,000 estimated resident population in 2019. There were 23,710 completed divorce forms processed in 2019, a decrease of 6.2% from the 25,284 divorces processe... Back Full answer
#YouAsked Welfare & population Which country in Africa has the youngest population? Source Pew Research Center: Populations skew older in some of the countries hit hard by COVID-19 Short answer Which country in Africa has the youngest population? Niger, in Western Africa, has the world’s youngest population. Half of Niger’s population is 14 or younger, and the median age is 15. ... Back Full answer
#YouAsked Covid-19 Health What is the Covid-19 variant found in India? Source Bhekisisa Centre for Health Journalism – Three for three: Understanding the 3 COVID variants circulating during SA’s third wave Short answer What is the Covid-19 variant found in India? The Delta or B.1.617.2 variant of SARS CoV-2 (previously known as the “Indian variant”)was first detected in India in December 2020 and became the most commonly reported variant in the country from mid-April 2021. The mutations in the Delta variant’s spike protein help the virus to bette... Back Full answer
#YouAsked Covid-19 Health Which Covid-19 vaccine is more effective against the variant found in India? Source Bhekisisa Centre for Health Journalism – Three for three: Understanding the 3 COVID variants circulating during SA’s third wave Short answer Which Covid-19 vaccine is more effective against the variant found in India? Although it is still too early to know, there is some evidence suggesting that the Delta variant reduces vaccine efficacy. Data from cases in England showed that the effectiveness of both the Pfizer and AstraZeneca vaccines had been lowered after one dose from 51.1% to 33.5%. But after a second shot... Back Full answer
Covid-19 Health Are Covid-19 vaccines untested and deadly? Source WHO – Status of Covid-19 Vaccines within WHO EUL/PQ evaluation process Short answer Are Covid-19 vaccines untested and deadly? The WHO Emergency Use Listing (EUL) is a procedure for assessing unlicensed vaccines, therapeutics and in vitro diagnostics during public health emergencies with the ultimate goal of expediting the availability of these products to people who need them. The assessment weighs the threat posed by the ... Back Full answer