Will lessons learnt from Covid’s first & second waves make a difference?

Did we learn anything from Covid’s first and second waves?

As SA braces for the third wave of Covid-19 infections, will lessons learnt from the first and second wave make any difference?

By Nicky Belseck, medical journalist

WHILE PREDICTIONS IN February had the third wave of Covid-19 ACTIVE AND INFORMED USE OF EPIDEMIOLOGICAL DATA infections hitting SA in May/June, “It’s well known that in some areas we have by March researchers were warning the really good surveillance data, in other areas third wave could hit parts of SA as early not. We have to extend the digital platform as April. we have to strengthen the surveillance Following the second wave, the National system. There is some duplication and

Science and Technology Forum (NSTF) lack of standardisation across provinces, held a discussion Forum on issues of and there’s inadequate communication in preparedness for human and animal disease many areas, but I think the Covid response outbreaks. The keynote speaker was former has shown that the public and the private

National Department of Health acting sector have to work more closely together, from other government departments, and I whether it’s production of oxygen, whether deputy director-general, Dr Yogan Pillay. as should the national and provincial district think going forward that could increase.” it’s PPEs, whether it’s the selection of drugs, Discussing the lessons learnt from SA’s levels. The only way to get ahead of a steroids included, or whether it is coffins, response to the Covid-19 pandemic so far, pandemic, which grows very fast, is to have SA’S RISK ADJUSTED STRATEGY regrettably, we’ve got to be able to become

Dr Pillay identified six key intervention areas: electronic data systems.” “The five-level alert system evolved out of more self-sufficient in the production of community screening, contact tracing, While it might not be ready in time for significant consultation across all sectors, these commodities because when you have active and informed use of epidemiological the third wave, Dr Pillay said, “I think what’s including private sector. Notwithstanding a pandemic everybody in the world is looking data, community engagement and risk currently being built in terms of the lab- the fact that it did cause a significant for these commodities.” communication, SA’s risk adjusted strategy, based systems as well as the surveillance amount of social and economic pain, Going forward Dr Pillay stressed the and health system strengthening. systems, including the modelling system because of the lockdowns. So going forward need to invest in public sector workers of all through the Covid-19 modelling consortium we need to learn lessons from what works types, provide quality care at an affordable

COMMUNITY SCREENING & CONTACT will stand us in good stead so that if and and what doesn’t work at each of the levels, cost, and reduce the cost of inputs like

TRACING when we get the next pandemic, we will and what can be done differently. There’s diagnostics, vaccines, and medicines. “It

“It was fairly clear from the first wave that be better prepared from an EPI (Epidemic been suggestions that you need a significant means changing the way that the health the Health Department working alone was Preparedness Index) and surveillance point amount more community buy in before you and social sectors provide services. It also not going to be able to mitigate transmission of view.” institute an alert level, which means we means greater reliance on digital technology or to prevent avoidable mortality. So, it need to not only balance between what’s for surveillance, self-monitoring of vital was a major lesson that unless you work COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND done and how it’s done, but also between signs, and real time data for planning and intersectorially and across all the spheres RISK COMMUNICATION saving lives and saving livelihoods. While intervention.” of government (local and national) a health Dr Pillay believed that from the beginning that’s become fairly clear, it’s a difficult sector response alone was not going to be of the pandemic all mechanisms of balance to achieve.” THE THIRD WAVE sufficient.” Dr Pillay also stressed the need communication had been used. “Everything With vaccines still in short supply, the for community mobilisation at the lowest from social media to radio and TV, and in HEALTH SYSTEM STRENGTHENING vaccination rollout far from what’s needed level. “Adherence to non-pharmaceutical all South African languages.” However, “The lesson from the health system to achieve herd immunity anytime this interventions was significantly higher in while the president and minister of health strengthening, and the lesson from year, and SA bracing for the third wave of communities where there was significant were at the forefront, of communication, the vaccines, is that SA has to become Covid-19 infections, it’s anyone’s guess community mobilisation and significant he admitted that: “We could have had more self-sufficient in the production of whether the lessons learnt from the first and involvement by local government councils.” significantly more support in communication commodities. Whether they are ventilators, second waves will make any difference?