Abdool Karim reflects on lessons learnt

A YEAR after the identification of the first patient with Covid-19 symptoms in South Africa, and as the country continues to deal with the effects of the pandemic and the more than 50 000 deaths, we spoke to world-renowned clinical infectious diseases epidemiologist and co-chairperson of the ministerial advisory committee on Covid-19, Professor Salim Abdool Karim. The professor reflected on the milestones and challenges in dealing with the virus.

There were many milestones achieved in the fight against the pandemic. What was the first crucial one?

The first was when the president declared the state of disaster and then shortly thereafter