On Biznews today we’re honoured to feature contributions from two successful global South Africans. My interview with Stanford’s world famous Prof Michael Levitt is a must-listen for a rational perspective to the Covid-19 pandemic. And don’t miss the latest weekly submission from Prof Alan Whiteside formerly of UKZN, now Waterloo U, Canada.
Levitt is very positive about the way his former homeland is managing the crisis – maintaining it is one of the few countries which has applied a lockdown for the right reason. As a result, he reckons there’s a good chance SA will emerge from this pandemic in far better shape than most countries.
Whiteside’s data tables emphasise the point. They show that on a directly comparable basis SA’s infection numbers are anywhere between one tenth to one twentieth of those in hardest hit European countries. Had SA followed the trajectory of, say, the UK, official infections would be 160,000 rather than the actual 12,000.
Both agree that there is still much to be learnt about this nasty pathogen. But they also point to distinct trends which have emerged in the data. Trends which suggest that despite shrill from an army of instant pundits, it’s a case of so far, so good for SA. Last night’s further relaxations in the lockdown are another step in the right direction.
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