THE total number of Covid-19 cases reported at varsities in November was 3 088, with 1 499 staff members and 1 588 students testing positive.
This was announced by Higher Education Minister Blade Nzimande during a media briefing in Tshwane on Monday, 18 January.
Giving an update on the readiness of tertiary institutes to reopen, he said 48 staff members and 10 students died of the virus last year.
The department would work closely with institutions to prepare for the start of the academic year between March and mid-April.
“While the current focus is on the completion of the 2020 academic year, I will provide further information on plans for 2021 at a later stage, following engagement with the institutions and the release of the matric results.”
It was critical to ensure necessary health and safety regulations were in place. He said the science and innovation portfolios had been allocated R68 766 000 towards Covid-19 research and development.
Nzimande said government, through the department, owned a 47,5% stake in bio-pharmaceutical company, Biovac. He said two vaccine studies were being supported.
“The first is a study on plant-based manufacturing of antibodies for Covid-19, which aims to facilitate the rapid development of vaccines,” he said.
He said the second was a vaccine trial.
“In partnership with the South African Medical Research Council, the department is co-funding a study, led by the University of the Witwatersrand, aimed at assessing the safety and efficacy of a Covid-19 vaccine candidate ChAdOx1 SARS-CoV-2 in South African adults living without HIV, as well as safety and immunogenicity in a small cohort of adults living with HIV,” he said.
