South Africa accelerates vaccination campaign amid surge
Associated PressJOHANNESBURG — South Africa has accelerated its vaccination campaign by giving jabs at pop-up sites in shopping centers and transportation hubs to combat a rapid rise in new COVID-19 cases a week after the discovery of the omicron variant of the coronavirus. The World Health Organization said in a statement that South Africa has confirmed 172 cases of omicron and Botswana 19. The World Health Organization’s Africa director, Dr. Matshidiso Moeti said that quick detection and reporting of omicron by Botswana and South Africa had “bought the world time” as nations take steps to try prevent it from spreading. She said countries “must adjust their COVID-19 response and stop a surge in cases from sweeping across Africa and possibly overwhelming already-stretched health facilities.” Gauteng Premier David Makhura said Thursday he was encouraged to see more people getting vaccinated, with the province recording at least 50,000 vaccinations daily this week.