Africa CDC says severe lockdowns no longer tool to contain COVID-19

By Reuters // 6. Jan 2022

 Dr. John Nkengasong, director of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC).

(Reuters)Africa's top public health official said on Thursday that severe lockdowns were no longer the best way to contain COVID-19, praising South Africa for adopting that approach when responding to its latest infection wave driven by the Omicron variant.

"We are very encouraged with what we saw in South Africa during this period where they look at the data in terms of severity (of infections)," John Nkengasong, director of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), told a news conference.

"The period where we are using severe lockdowns as a tool is over. We should actually be looking at how we use public health and social measures more carefully and in a balanced way as the vaccination increases."

South Africa experienced a steep rise in COVID-19 infections from late November, around the time it alerted the world to Omicron, with new infections peaking in mid-December at an all-time record.

But new cases have since fallen back, and the government did not resort to strict restrictions as it did during previous infection waves given early signs that the bulk of Omicron infections had been mild. It even loosened rules before New Year's Eve. Nkengasong added that he feared that COVID-19 could become endemic on the continent given the slow pace of vaccination — a prospect many global scientists already talk of as a given.

"Unless ... by the end of this year the continent actually scales up its vaccination to above 70 percent or 80 percent, my worry is that we might be into a scenario where COVID becomes endemic," he said.

Experts believe COVID-19 cannot be eliminated and will likely become endemic, meaning it will always be present in the population to some degree, such as the flu or chickenpox.

Less than 10 percent of Africa's population has been fully vaccinated against COVID-19, the latest Africa CDC figures show, with many countries initially struggling to access sufficient shots and later battling to get them into arms.

There has been a 36 percent average increase in new cases reported in Africa over the last 4 weeks, with an 8 percent average increase in new deaths.

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Vehicles above four years in Kenya set for mandatory inspections

 By EDWIN MUTAI

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5. Jan 2022

Motorists will have their vehicles subjected to mandatory inspection at a time to be determined by the transportation sector regulator, four years from the manufacture date if MPs pass proposed changes to the law.

Traffic Jam on Thika Road // FILE PHOTO NMG

The Traffic (Amendment) Bill seeks to empower the National Transport Safety Authority (NTSA) to determine the intervals within which cars exceeding four years from the date of manufacture will be inspected.

Currently, the law provides that every car more than four years old from the recorded date of manufacture shall be subjected to inspection by the Motor Vehicle Inspection Unit.

“Every vehicle that has been operated for a period exceeding four years from the recorded date of manufacture shall be subjected to inspection at intervals to be determined by the authority (NTSA),” the Bill states.

The NTSA inspects a motorcycle at Sh1,300, three-wheelers and vehicles up to 3,000cc (Sh2,600) while vehicles more than 3000cc cost Sh3,900.

Trucks of up to five tonnes cost Sh2,000 while those of more than five tonnes and heavy commercial vehicles pay Sh4,600 for inspections.

Private car owners pay between Sh2,000-Sh3,500 for the check-up, depending on the vehicle engine capacity.

Previously, the vehicle inspection fee was capped at Sh1,000 for all categories of vehicles, irrespective of type, size, and class.

The proposed law further gives the NTSA the power to hire private entities to conduct motor vehicle inspections on its behalf.

“An inspection under subsection…shall be conducted by the authority or persons authorised in writing by the authority,” states the Bill sponsored by Tiaty MP William Kamket.

There are only 17 Motor Vehicle Inspection Units in Kenya and the changes in the Traffic Act will see the NTSA designate persons or firms to conduct inspections on its behalf.

Last May, the NTSA said it would commence inspecting vehicles that are more than four years old from the date of manufacture on Kenyan roads.

The agency was to inspect all vehicles regardless of ownership in line with Section 16 (2) of the Traffic Act.

In 2019, NTSA issued tough rules on the motor vehicle inspection regulations to tame road carnage.

SOURCE