´óÏó´«Ã½

If variants continue to emerge across Africa – and action isn't taken - then Covid-19 could become vaccine resistant. That's the message of the Director of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, Dr John Nkengasong.

For months, experts have been warning that vaccines need to be distributed in Africa before it's too late. Now many countries are facing their third or even fourth wave - and this time more people are needing hospitalisation.

Dr Ahmed Kalebi is a pathologist and founding partner at Lancet Group Laboratories, East Africa. He says the he's really concerned about the rate variants are springing up - which means many cases are being missed by the current tests:

"Think about it like a phone. Your phone identifies your face or finger print because of the pattern. If you change that pattern, it won't be able to identify you. The same with the PCR tests. They are missing some of these new variants. People come to hospital, they are sick, tests are done, and the tests are negative... and when the CT scan is done, it shows the person actually has clear Covid."

(Photo: A health worker prepares his vaccines during a door-to-door campaign in Siaya, Kenya. Credit: AFP)

Show less