- Adami Geldenhuys
Covid-19 Regulatory Update 3-9 November 2021
Updated: Dec 14, 2021
Highlights in this edition include news on
the murder of whistle-blower Babita Deokaran;
price gouging on protective personal equipment;
the use of Ivermectin in South Africa;
the lifting of travel restrictions by the USA and Singapore;
anti-vax doctors;
fake vaccination certificates;
mandatory vaccinations and vaccination of children.
Webinar
Vaccine Mandates and Certificates hosted by the South African Medical Research Council / In conversation with Professors Glenda Gray, Halton Cheadle and Tracey Naledi.
Date: Wednesday, November 10, 2021 - 19:00 to 20:00
CORRUPTION
Deokaran Murder
Chabalala, Jeanette. Prosecutor says Zweli Mkhize is a potential witness or suspect in Deokoran murder case.
Khanyile, Gcwalisile. Dr Zweli Mkhize demands answers from authorities after his name was dragged into the investigation of the murder of whistle-blower Babita Deokaran.
Pheto, Belinda. Don’t give them bail, state says as six appear in court over hit on whistle-blower Babita Deokaran.
Personal Protective Equipment
Pillay, Kavisha. Data analysis of Treasury records reveals extent of price gouging on PPE.
“Corruption Watch has analysed the spend by the South African Police Service (Saps) and the results reveal a disturbing trend of gross inflation of prices, fruitless and wasteful expenditure and possible corruption.
Since the start of the pandemic, Saps has spent R1 561 202 820.76 on PPE, sanitisers and disinfectants, and other items. Of this expenditure, 56% was for surgical masks, 32% for hand sanitisers and disinfectants, and the remaining 12% for goggles, surgical gloves, thermometers, fogging of buildings and so on.”
IVERMECTIN
Karim, Aisha Abdool and Van Dyk, Joan. Farmers vs pharmacists: How South Africa’s ivermectin use slips through the cracks.
““It’s an impossible task to monitor [the use of animal ivermectin],” Oberem explains. “Because it’s an over-the-counter medicine, anybody can go into their shop and purchase ivermectin. … Sahpra has confiscated millions of rands worth of illegal ivermectin at South Africa’s borders and at pharmacies and doctor’s rooms around the country.”
Porter, Tom. The roots of ivermectin mania: How South America incubated a fake-medicine craze that took US by storm.
2021 Nov 6 Business Insider US
LOCKDOWN RESTRICTIONS
Lindeque, Mia. No increased Covid lockdown restrictions for now - Health Dept.
“The Health Department has assured South Africans that there were no indications yet that further COVID-19 lockdown restrictions would be necessary now that the local government elections were over.”
MASK MANDATE
Amazon lifts mask mandate; South Africa registers 106 new cases.
MEDICAL LAW
Mabunda, Pritzman Busani and Curlewis, Llewelyn Gray. Universal health coverage: Has the COVID-19 pandemic brought about the need for access to health for all?
“The purpose of this article is to look at whether the use of private hospitals and medical centres, among other strategies of ensuring access to vaccine for all, align with s 27 of the Constitution and may be argued as contribution towards the realisation of access to health for all through the National Health Insurance (NHI). This question arises in the backdrop of SA’s current two-tier system and the anticipated health reform through the NHI informed by the Universal Health Coverage (UHC)…”
SANITISERS
Knowler, Wendy. Damages of R458,742 awarded to SABS for unlawful use of its trademark.
“The Gauteng High Court has instructed sanitiser and disinfectant manufacturer Vex Hygiene to stop using the SA Bureau of Standards (SABS) approved trademark and remove it from all its products and packaging. The court found the company had been making use of the logo illegally.
The judgment, handed down on October 21, awarded damages of R458,742 in favour of the SABS for the unlawful use of the trademark on Vex sanitisers and disinfectants at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic.”
SCHOOLS
Push for fewer lockdown restrictions at South Africa’s schools.
TRAVEL
De Wei, Low and Heijmans, Philip J. Singapore eases restrictions on some travel and social activities.
“Residents who do not get vaccinated against Covid-19 will have to pay their own medical bills.”
Fully vaccinated South Africans can travel to the US from today – with a negative test.
2021 Nov 8 Business Insider SA
VACCINES
Anti-Vaxxers
Govender, Suthentira. Anti-vax doctors could lose their licences, says regulator.
“Following complaints from the public, HPCSA launches probe into healthcare professionals who are against Covid jabs.”
Certificates
Covid-19 wrap: Black market certificates rampant in Australia, record-high incidence rate in Germany.
Children
America poised for final approval of Pfizer's Covid-19 vaccine for children aged 5-11.
Naidoo, Mervyn. Legal bid to stop Covid-19 vaccinations for children.
“Dr Naseeba Kathrada’s organisation, Caring Healthcare Workers Coalition, represented by attorney Kuben Moodley of law firm Pather and Pather Attorneys, was among four applicants who recently lodged an urgent application to halt the Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine rollout for children.”
Compensation Fund
Important notice – Compensation for COVID-19 vaccination side-effects.
“The last couple of months have been a time of great uncertainty regarding mandatory COVID-19 vaccination policies and cover for employees who suffer from COVID-19 vaccination side effects. This issue has been addressed by the recent Notice (629 of 2021), published in the Government Gazette on the 22nd of October 2021.
The Notice states that where the employer requires an employee to receive the COVID-19 vaccine as an:
• Inherent requirement of employment; or
• Where vaccination is required based on the OHS Risk Assessment conducted by the employer.
The Compensation Fund will cover the employee for injuries, illness or death as a result of receiving a COVID-19 vaccine.”
Indian Vaccine
United Nations. Indian COVID-19 vaccine receives WHO approval.
“The World Health Organization (WHO) on Wednesday approved an eighth vaccine against COVID-19, which follows a slight uptick in new cases globally.”
Mandatory Vaccinations
Comins, Lyse. Fake Covid-19 vaccination certificate traders warned.
“KwaZulu-Natal Premier Sihle Zikalala has warned the public about fake Covid-19 vaccination certificates ahead of the next free vaccine drive.”
Jeftha, Allison. Can a landlord make vaccination a condition in a lease agreement?
Thousands protest in New Zealand against Covid-19 vaccine mandate.
US court suspends Biden vaccine mandate for businesses.
Vaccine certificates-for-sale scam undermines Lesotho’s Covid effort.
“The documents, necessary for entry into bars and sporting venues, are being sold by unscrupulous health workers for less than £20.”
White House defends vaccine mandate against court challenge.
“President Joe Biden's administration on Sunday issued a vocal defense of a controversial COVID-19 vaccine mandate for large companies despite a court challenge that temporarily freezes the program.”
Workman-Davies, Bradley. Resigning rather than being vaccinated.
2021 Nov 3 Werksmans Attorneys
“As an employee, what are your rights when an employer places pressure on you to be vaccinated? Should an employee have any objections to vaccination, and the employer imposes a mandatory vaccination policy, does the employee have recourse to protection against being forced to be vaccinated? Employees may find themselves questioning whether they want to continue working for their employer in this situation.”
Misinformation
Cases of fully vaccinated people catching Covid-19 trigger vaccine misinformation.
Pfizer Vaccine
Ellis, Estelle. ‘Extremely promising findings’: Discovery releases results of study into efficacy of Pfizer vaccine.
Date posted: 9 November 2021