Health minister, Dr Zweli Mkhize, has announced the creation of a Ministerial Advisory Committee (MAC) that will focus on Coronavirus vaccine development. Mkhize made the announcement in a statement on Monday.<\/p>\n
“In addition to the multi-sectoral MAC focusing on community mobilisation, another MAC has been created to focus on Coronavirus vaccine development,\u201d Mkhize said.<\/p>\n
The team will advise government on all matters about the Coronavirus vaccine development and rollout, and monitor and report on progress in candidate studies.<\/p>\n
It will also give guidelines on purchasing options and will study the feasibility for the country to manufacture vaccines in future.<\/p>\n
“This will ensure that the Department of Health and government are kept abreast on all critical developments internationally relating to the vaccine,\u201d Mkhize said.<\/p>\n
Professor Barry Schoub, who is an expert in vaccinology and virology, will chair the committee.<\/p>\n
The other members include Biovac CEO Dr Morena Makhoana; Department of Science and Technology\u2019s Glaudina Loots; South African Health Products Authority CEO, Dr Boitumelo Semete-Makokotlela and Vaccines for Africa\u2019s Professor Greg Hussey.<\/p>\n
Immunologist and South African Health Products Regulatory Authority board member Professor Jeff Mphahlele; World Health Organisation\u2019s expert advisor Professor Helen Rees; Ethicist\u2019s Professor Ames Dhai and National Treasury\u2019s Dr Mark Blecher are also on the MAC.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Professor Salim Abdool Karim and Bishop Malusi Mpumlwana will be observers.<\/p>\n
Reconfigured MAC<\/strong><\/p>\n The Minister said with the changing pattern of the pandemic, government has deemed it necessary to reconfigure the existing Ministerial Advisory Committee on COVID-19.<\/p>\n The reconfigured MAC, the Minister said, would take into account the need for the inclusion of social and behavioural scientists, among other considerations.<\/p>\n The Health Department has confirmed\u00a0that the number of COVID-19 infections is declining, along with the demand for hospital beds and oxygen.<\/p>\n \u201cUndeniably, an important contributor to the decline we are witnessing in the transmission of Coronavirus is the action of ordinary South Africans, who continue to adhere to non-pharmaceutical interventions,\u201d Mkhize acknowledged.<\/p>\n \u201cThis nation has shown that with concerted effort and solidarity it is possible to beat Coronavirus.\u201d However, he continued to urge citizen to adopt the \u201cnew normal\u201d.<\/p>\n \u201cIf we are to maintain this status quo of low transmission rates, we must continue to concentrate on the simple things that keep Coronavirus at bay,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n He has called on people to wash their wash or sanitise their hands, maintain a safe distance between each other, regular cleaning and sanitising of surfaces, and wearing of masks in public.<\/p>\n \u201cThe threat of a resurgence that could be more devastating than the first wave of infections remains very real. We must always remember this,\u201d said Mkhize.<\/p>\n
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