Martin Veller

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Photo by Sharon Seretlo/Gallo Images via Getty Images

South Africa’s vaccine quagmire, and what needs to be done now

Alex van den Heever, University of the Witwatersrand; Imraan Valodia, University of the Witwatersrand; Martin Veller, University of the Witwatersrand; Shabir A. Madhi, University of the Witwatersrand, and Willem Daniel Francois Venter, University of the Witwatersrand

South Africa has clearly suffered the consequences of poor strategic decisions to this point. It doesn’t need to continue along these lines.
South Africa must redirect efforts to managing the high-risk social spaces such as public transport. Getty Images

South Africa can get COVID‑19 under control if it blocks the routes that enable transmission

Alex van den Heever, University of the Witwatersrand; Imraan Valodia, University of the Witwatersrand; Lucy Allais, University of the Witwatersrand; Martin Veller, University of the Witwatersrand; Shabir A. Madhi, University of the Witwatersrand, and Willem Daniel Francois Venter, University of the Witwatersrand

South Africa’s testing and tracing has not been at a level needed to suppress the spread of COVID-19. It must now focus on containing opportunities for super-spreading and transmissions.
South Africa’s hard, extended lockdown has come at a significant economic cost. Shutterstock

South Africa’s COVID‑19 strategy needs updating: here’s why and how

Imraan Valodia, University of the Witwatersrand; Alex van den Heever, University of the Witwatersrand; Lucy Allais, University of the Witwatersrand; Martin Veller, University of the Witwatersrand; Shabir A. Madhi, University of the Witwatersrand, and Willem Daniel Francois Venter, University of the Witwatersrand

South Africa should base its COVID-19 mitigation strategy on the premise that the pandemic will last for two years unless a vaccine is developed before then.
Can social distancing and lockdown can work in South Africa’s townships and informal settlements? Getty Images

What should South Africa’s coronavirus endgame look like? Here are some options

Alex van den Heever, University of the Witwatersrand; Imraan Valodia, University of the Witwatersrand; Lucy Allais, University of the Witwatersrand; Martin Veller, University of the Witwatersrand, and Willem Daniel Francois Venter, University of the Witwatersrand

South Africa’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic was one of ‘intervene first and ask questions later’. Now is the time for government to state clearly what its strategic endgame is.
South Africans practise social distancing while they queue outside a supermarket in Hillbrow, Johannesburg during the country’s lockdown. Photo by Marco Longari/AFP via Getty Images

South Africa needs a post‑lockdown strategy that emulates South Korea

Alex van den Heever, University of the Witwatersrand; David Campbell Francis, University of the Witwatersrand; Francois Venter, University of the Witwatersrand; Imraan Valodia, University of the Witwatersrand; Lucy Allais, University of the Witwatersrand; Martin Veller, University of the Witwatersrand; Michael Sachs, University of the Witwatersrand, and Shabir A. Madhi, University of the Witwatersrand

South Africa cannot afford to embark on a strategy of extended periodic lockdowns. It needs to shift to mass testing and contact tracing.
An elderly man at a social grant paypoint in South Africa after the COVID-19 lockdown. (Photo by MARCO LONGARI / AFP) () Photo by Marco Longari/AFP via Getty Images

South Africa needs to end the lockdown: here’s a blueprint for its replacement

Shabir A. Madhi, University of the Witwatersrand; Alex van den Heever, University of the Witwatersrand; David Campbell Francis, University of the Witwatersrand; Imraan Valodia, University of the Witwatersrand; Martin Veller, University of the Witwatersrand, and Michael Sachs, University of the Witwatersrand

South Africa must develop a comprehensive health and economic strategy if it is to stop the COVID-19 pandemic without causing long term socio-economic damage.

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