The Executive Mayor of Johannesburg, Councillor Mpho Phalatse, wishes to inform residents that the City is aware of the new B.1.1.529 variant of Covid-19. At this stage, there is not a lot of information on this new variant, as scientists continue to research it.
 
The City is continuing with mass vaccination of residents and aims to reach more people as the vaccination rollout remains critical to curbing the impact of the fourth wave. The vaccination programme is a priority in the fight to minimise the spread of Covid-19 infection, as it has been proven that vaccinations decrease the risk of death for those who are immunised.
 
Mayor Phalatse will be meeting with technical experts in the field with a view of understanding the variant to guide the City’s response to the variant.
 
It is expected that the fourth wave will peak around mid-December, however more data modelling will be available in the coming weeks.
 
She emphasized the City’s commitment to responding to the resurgence and to doing all in its power to help reduce transmission, while also seeking interventions that have minimal impact on the livelihoods of residents.
 
In the meantime the city urges the community to continue the non-pharmaceutical interventions of mask wearing in public, sanitising hands and practicing social distancing at all times.

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Issued by the City of Johannesburg
For more information contact Nthatisi Modingoane, Spokesperson, 082 467 9228
For all media queries, send an email to mediaqueries@joburg.org.za

27/11/2021