UCT R&I Highlights 2020-21 High res - Flipbook - Page 34
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FIGHTING
COVID-19
VARIANTS WITH
T CELLS
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FINANCIAL IMPACT
OF COVID-19
RESTRICTIONS
South African households face financial strain
from COVID-19 restrictions, says a study from
UCT’s Liberty Institute of Strategic Marketing.
Using data from the National Income
Dynamics Study-Coronavirus Rapid
Mobile Survey (NIDS CRAM) surveys, the
Liberty Institute examined the impact of
restrictions on jobs and income across the
economic spectrum.
The results reveal that having endured
over 500 days of COVID-19 restrictions,
many South Africans are still struggling
to make ends meet. The biggest impact
has been felt by those in poorly paid jobs.
Indeed, by March 2021 there were nearly
1.15 million fewer people earning from jobs
paying under R3 500 per month.
The data also indicates that middle-class
and high-earning South Africans are also
coming under relative financial strain. Not
only are there fewer South Africans earning
higher salaries than before lockdown, but
the average salary for those earning over
R40 000 per month has also fallen.
“The key point is that the situation is
fluid, and therefore constantly changing,”
said Dr James Lappeman, head of projects
at the institute. “The figures also suggest
that although the economic pain is being
felt across the board, it is the most
vulnerable South Africans whose welfare is
of huge concern.”
UCT virologists reveal the
body’s T cells maintain 85%
of their capacity to detect
COVID-19 variants.
Growing fears around the resistance of
COVID-19 variants to antibody defences
has sparked increased interest in the role
of T cells, that other major part of the
immune response. As a result, the team
has followed up this research with testing
for T-cell response to the Delta variant.
Regardless of which COVID-19 variant is
involved, Burgers and Riou are confident
that existing vaccines will continue to
protect populations from severe disease
and hospitalisation.
“If a person becomes infected or gets
vaccinated against the original strain rather
than any variant, we’ve shown that it’s very
likely that the vaccine will induce a similar
response to Delta, should that person
encounter it,” said Riou.
Central players in the body’s immune
systems, T cells are able to mount a
substantial defence to prevent severe
illness, hospitalisation and death from
variants of COVID-19, say researchers Dr
Catherine Riou and Associate Professor
Wendy Burgers from UCT’s Institute
of Infectious Disease and Molecular
Medicine (IDM).
In a pre-print article, they analysed the
role of T cells in responding to the Beta
variant; however, the authors predict
similar results with Delta and other future
variants. This is because the T cell response
to infection with SARS-CoV-2 is far more
multi-faceted than that of antibodies,
providing a significant extra layer of
protection against disease.
CLICK HERE TO
READ THE ARTICLE
There were
1.15 million fewer
people earning from
jobs paying under
R3 500 per month.
CLICK HERE TO
READ THE ARTICLE
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