Professor Abdool Karim says South Africa’s COVID-19 trajectory is unique and with the countries response to the virus, there is a possibility that the curve can be flattened.
Dr Karim compares the infection rate in the UK and that in South Africa and claims that SA’s trajectory is unique.
“South Africa has a unique component to it’s responses for example, active case finding,” he said.
Dr Karim adds that only South Africa has 28,000 community health care workers going house-to-house in vulnerable community for screening and testing to find cases.
New quicker and simpler diagnostics are also becoming available.
Professor Karim also cites that the delay to relax lockdown regulations is important as it helps flatten the curve even more.
“It is likely that infections will spike again when the lockdown ends, but a delay in relaxing lockdown regulations will give South Africa time to flatten the curve even more,” he said.
The population is believed to be at high risk again after lockdown as the infectiousness period include 4-7 days before symptoms and that means people can spread it without knowing.
Dr Karim also added that the virus spreads too fast normally which can trigger the number of COVID-19 when lockdown ends.