Phaahla reiterates Omicron variant 'was expected'
Health Minister Joe Phaahla says he hopes the country can manage the new Omicron variant without it causing too much devastation.
He and other Health Department officials held a briefing on the pandemic on Friday.
Phaahla has reiterated the country was not caught off guard by the resurgence as there have been predictions by experts.
"At the time we were being introduced to the Beta variant, which hit us around this time last year.
"They warned us that the variants would generally be more transmissible, but most of the time they would be less severe.
"Today, as we enter the fourth wave with a new variant, we can see confirmation of this warning."
The minister has also slammed the travel bans imposed on South Africa over the past week after our scientists identified and flagged the new strain.
"It is indeed a matter of regret and a reflection of hypocrisy by some of the countries that while their leaders without exception are signing praises of the expertise and the openness of South Africa, but they still went ahead to slap us with travel bans, which included also many of our neighbours in the SADC region."
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