<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="820" height="547" src="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/GettyImages-1229611954-820x547.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-392210" srcset="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/GettyImages-1229611954-820x547.jpg 820w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/GettyImages-1229611954-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/GettyImages-1229611954-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/GettyImages-1229611954-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/GettyImages-1229611954-scaled.jpg 2048w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/GettyImages-1229611954-1110x740.jpg 1110w" sizes="(max-width: 820px) 100vw, 820px" /><figcaption>BRAZIL &#8211; 2020/11/13: In this photo illustration a medical syringe is seen with Johnson and Johnson company logo displayed on a screen in the background. (Photo Illustration by Rafael Henrique/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)</figcaption></figure>



Sept 13 (Reuters) &#8211; Johnson &amp; Johnson said on Monday its Ebola vaccine regimen demonstrated antibody immune responses in adults and children, citing data published in the Lancet Infectious Diseases journal.



The two-dose regimen was well-tolerated and induced antibody responses to the Zaire ebolavirus species 21 days after the second dose in 98% of all participants, the company said, citing data from a late-stage trial.



The regimen, Zabdeno and Mvabea, generated immune responses that persisted in adults for at least two years.



J&amp;J added that there were no safety signals of concern.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-read-more-johnson-johnson-s-hiv-vaccine-fails-mid-stage-africa-study">Read more: <a href="https://www.cnbcafrica.com/2021/johnson-johnsons-hiv-vaccine-fails-mid-stage-africa-study/">Johnson &amp; Johnson’s HIV vaccine fails mid-stage Africa study</a></h3>



&#8220;These peer-reviewed data support the prophylactic use of the Johnson &amp; Johnson Ebola vaccine regimen to protect people at risk of Ebola, which is essential to our vision of preventing Ebola outbreaks before they can begin,&#8221; J&amp;J&#8217;s Chief Scientific Officer Paul Stoffels said.



The company added that a booster shot administered two years after the initial vaccination induced a strong immune response within seven days.



Ebola typically kills about half of those it infects, although vaccines and new treatments have proven highly effective in reducing fatality rates.



Last month, the World Health Organisation warned that on top of the COVID-19 pandemic, West Africa is facing new outbreaks of the viral haemorrhagic fevers Marburg and Ebola, risking huge strains on ill-equipped health systems.



J&amp;J&#8217;s vaccine regimen had received European approval in July 2020 and prequalification from the WHO, which allows medicines to be procured by developing countries, in April 2021. 



(Reporting by Shubham Kalia in Bengaluru; Editing by Anil D&#8217;Silva and Shailesh Kuber)

In this photo illustration a medical syringe is seen with

J&J reports promising Ebola vaccine data

<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="740" height="416" src="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/106941220-1631597811132-gettyimages-1332552532-a23i3071_20210805120639355.jpeg" alt="" class="wp-image-412076" srcset="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/106941220-1631597811132-gettyimages-1332552532-a23i3071_20210805120639355.jpeg 740w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/106941220-1631597811132-gettyimages-1332552532-a23i3071_20210805120639355-300x169.jpeg 300w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/106941220-1631597811132-gettyimages-1332552532-a23i3071_20210805120639355-160x90.jpeg 160w" sizes="(max-width: 740px) 100vw, 740px" /><figcaption>Firefighter paramedic Cuevas (R) administers a Covid-19 vaccination dose to a person at a vaccination event at Culver City Fire Department Station 1 on August 05, 2021 in Culver City, California. Mario Tama | Getty Images News | Getty Images</figcaption></figure>



As more and more people return to the workplace following months of working from home, the question of one’s vaccination status is becoming increasingly relevant and, in an increasing number of cases, a condition of employment.



In both the U.S. and Europe there are a growing number of jobs and sectors which are now requiring people to be fully vaccinated against Covid-19 — not only in the more obvious public-facing roles like healthcare and education but also in the technology, hospitality, travel and finance sectors.



When Covid vaccine rollouts began in the U.S. and Europe around nine months ago, the majority of the workforce had to wait in line to receive a shot, with the elderly and healthcare workers prioritized.



But vaccinations in high-income countries have since become more accessible to all adults and employers have encouraged their staff to be immunized, both for their workers health and to get their businesses back to normal.



As vaccination drives roll out to the remaining sections of society that are not yet immunized — mainly adolescents — those adults that remain unvaccinated could find it increasingly difficult to return to work, or find employment in some sectors and companies.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-less-leeway-on-jobs"><a></a>Less leeway on jobs</h2>



The net closed in further on unvaccinated people last week with President Joe Biden warning that “patience is wearing thin” regarding the unvaccinated, particularly as U.S. Covid cases remain high as the highly infectious delta variant spreads.



In a significantly stricter tone, Biden outlined a plan last Thursday to boost Covid vaccination rates nationwide, pressuring private employers to immunize their workforce as well as mandating the shots for federal employees, contractors and health-care workers.



The share of job postings requiring vaccination has skyrocketed since the U.S. Food and Drug Administration granted full approval to the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine on Aug. 23, according to jobs site Indeed, showing a growing trend among employers requiring candidates to be fully immunized.



“A few weeks ago, job postings on Indeed requiring vaccination started to take off and have accelerated since,” AnnElizabeth Konkel, an economist at the Indeed Hiring Lab noted, adding that in the seven days through to Aug. 30, the share of postings per million specifically requiring vaccination against Covid rose 119% from the previous month.



Job postings that required vaccination but did not specify Covid followed the same trend, up 242% over the same period. Nonetheless, Indeed noted that such postings requiring vaccination represented less than 1% of all job ads on its site, although it indicated that number could rise



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Read more: <a href="https://www.cnbcafrica.com/2021/sa-to-introduce-digital-vaccine-certificates-as-early-as-next-week-health-minister/">SA to introduce digital vaccine certificates as early as next week – health minister</a></h3>



In the seven days ending Aug. 30, the share of job postings per million recommending, rather than requiring, vaccination jumped 40% month over month.



“With Delta variant cases surging, employers are undoubtedly wondering how they can keep their business’s recovery on track. Vaccine requirements are a way to keep staff and customers safer and business operations running,” Konkel noted.



“In the weeks ahead, it will be important to watch whether job postings encouraging vaccination lose ground to those requiring shots. Employers advertising no vaccination are probably betting their stance will give them a leg up in finding workers &#8230; but some experts would argue it has harmful public health consequences,” she said.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><a></a>Which jobs want vaccination?</h2>



Some sectors have seen the number of job ads requiring vaccination rise dramatically, although again the Indeed job data show that those requiring immunization remain a small proportion of the total jobs on offer.



Understandably given the front-line nature of the sectors, the percentage of job postings requiring vaccination in the personal care and home health industry rose 333% in the month to August 30 and had increased 326% in the community and social service sector, Indeed data showed.



But other sectors saw the requirement for vaccination appear in more job postings too.



For example, the percentage of job postings requiring vaccination in the legal sector rose 210% in the month to Aug. 30, was up 146% in the education sector, rose 219% in the administrative assistance sector and jumped 180% in the media and communications industry.



Statewide, Arizona led the nation in job postings requiring vaccination while Washington state was second.&nbsp;Regionally, the West Coast and New England had slightly higher shares of job postings requiring vaccination than other parts of the country.&nbsp;



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Read more: <a href="https://www.cnbcafrica.com/2021/covid-19-has-cost-30-million-african-jobs-african-development-bank-says/">Covid-19 has cost 30 million African jobs, African Development Bank says</a></h3>



“As the delta variant wreaks havoc, vaccination rates are increasing. But, with winter ahead, some employers are taking matters into their own hands by mandating vaccination. Job postings requiring vaccination are spread across a variety of sectors and geographic locations. Time will tell how much further this trend goes. At the same time, a small but growing number of job seekers, particularly in nursing, are searching for opportunities that don’t require vaccination,” Konkel said.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><a></a>Am I required to get vaccinated?</h2>



This will often depend on what job you do and your employer. President Biden announced last week a new requirement for federal employees to get a Covid vaccine, with no option for regular testing. He also signed an executive order extending the requirement to contractors that work with the U.S. government, impacting a total of 2.1 million employees.



Biden also said he is asking the U.S. Department of Labor to issue a rule that requires employers with more than 100 employees to mandate vaccines or require weekly testing, according to officials.



Business owners are generally supportive of the plan and a large number of firms have already announced some of all of their workers will have to get Covid shots or provide proof of vaccination.



The U.S. is not alone in tightening the rules on some workers; the U.K. government has said that all care home workers will need to be fully vaccinated from Nov. 11 onward, unless they have an exemption on medical grounds. Meanwhile, France and Greece have made similar announcements for public sector workers and, in Italy, teachers are now required to show immunity to Covid before they enter a classroom.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="740" height="416" src="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/106941219-1631597375235-gettyimages-1232428376-BCHKshop.jpeg" alt="" class="wp-image-412077" srcset="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/106941219-1631597375235-gettyimages-1232428376-BCHKshop.jpeg 740w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/106941219-1631597375235-gettyimages-1232428376-BCHKshop-300x169.jpeg 300w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/106941219-1631597375235-gettyimages-1232428376-BCHKshop-160x90.jpeg 160w" sizes="(max-width: 740px) 100vw, 740px" /><figcaption>McDonald’s is among the companies announcing that it will require its U.S.-based office workers to be vaccinated against the coronavirus. SOPA Images | LightRocket | Getty Images</figcaption></figure>



Influential U.S. lobbying group the AARP notes that an increasing number of people — both those looking for jobs and the currently employed — are asking whether they are required to get a Covid vaccination&nbsp;if they want to keep their jobs:



“The short answer: Yes. An employer can make a vaccination a requirement if you want to continue working there. But there are significant exceptions for potential concerns related to any disability you may have and for religious beliefs that prohibit vaccinations,” the AARP noted in late August.



“With many Americans still hesitant to get vaccinated even as the delta variant spreads, more employers are telling workers they either need to be vaccinated or comply with a rigorous regiment of testing, wearing masks and practicing physical distancing if they want to return to work. Refusal to be vaccinated could lead to job loss and also&nbsp;make a person ineligible for unemployment benefits.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><a></a>What employers should do</h2>



As millions of people return to the office after months of home working, there are increasing reports of tensions between vaccinated and unvaccinated workers.



Employment experts say it’s vital for employers to communicate openly and clearly with employees about their vaccination expectations and safety protocol before a return to the workplace.



“Employers should give adequate notice to their employees of return to work dates, vaccination requirements, on-site work rules, and accommodation procedures,” Anthony Mingione, an employment lawyer and partner in the New York office of law firm Blank Rome, told CNBC last week.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Read more: <a href="https://www.cnbcafrica.com/2021/africas-covid-19-third-wave-stabilises-as-vaccine-levels-rise-who/">Africa’s COVID-19 third wave stabilises as vaccine levels rise – WHO</a></h3>



“Effective communication also includes conveying expectations for workplace decorum, reminding workers of the privacy rights of their colleagues, and making sure that the consequences for violations are understood in advance.  Employers also have to be equipped to handle the issues that will arise when employee availability is impacted by a lack of child care or school closure, immunocompromised family members, or Covid-19 quarantines.  Other than following the law, the most important thing in resolving conflicts is to apply policies consistently,” he said.



Lucy Lewis, partner at global HR lawyers Lewis Silkin, noted that, for employers facing persistent vaccine hesitancy among their workers, it would be best for companies to establish open lines of dialog between employee and employer.



“Our experience has been that the most successful way to engage in discussion around requiring vaccination has been to be open to actively listening: encourage employees to share their reasons for not being vaccinated.&nbsp;In some cases, there may be a genuine underlying reason [e.g. medical] why vaccination is not possible and, in those cases, alternative steps can be taken [e.g. regular testing for office attendance],” she noted.



In any case, such discussions provide an opportunity to encourage vaccination by explaining why it is important, Lewis said, “and ensure that reluctant employees are relying on trusted sources for information around vaccine safety.”

106941220-1631597811132-gettyimages-1332552532-a23i3071_20210805120639355

More workers are facing compulsory Covid vaccination or no job

<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="800" height="507" src="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/JFN5R5LQLJOE7L4Y2UY425AGMU.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-412065" srcset="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/JFN5R5LQLJOE7L4Y2UY425AGMU.jpg 800w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/JFN5R5LQLJOE7L4Y2UY425AGMU-300x190.jpg 300w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/JFN5R5LQLJOE7L4Y2UY425AGMU-142x90.jpg 142w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/JFN5R5LQLJOE7L4Y2UY425AGMU-768x487.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /><figcaption>A 3D printed oil pump jack is seen in front of displayed stock graph and Opec logo in this illustration picture, April 14, 2020. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo</figcaption></figure>



LONDON, Sept 13 (Reuters) &#8211; OPEC on Monday trimmed its world oil demand forecast for the last quarter of 2021 due to the Delta coronavirus variant, saying a further recovery would be partially delayed until next year when consumption will exceed pre-pandemic rates.



The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) said in a monthly report it expects oil demand to average 99.70 million barrels per day (bpd) in the fourth quarter of 2021, down 110,000 bpd from last month&#8217;s forecast.



&#8220;The increased risk of COVID-19 cases primarily fueled by the Delta variant is clouding oil demand prospects going into the final quarter of the year,&#8221; OPEC said in the report.



&#8220;As a result, second-half 2021 oil demand has been adjusted slightly lower, partially delaying the oil demand recovery into first-half 2022.&#8221;



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-read-more-oil-jumps-to-two-year-high-as-opec-and-allies-meet-to-decide-production-output">Read more: <a href="https://www.cnbcafrica.com/2021/oil-jumps-to-two-year-high-as-opec-and-allies-meet-to-decide-production-output/">Oil jumps to two-year high as OPEC and allies meet to decide production output</a></h3>



Governments, companies and traders are closely monitoring the speed that oil demand recovers from last year&#8217;s crash. A faster return could boost prices and challenge the view that the impact of the pandemic may curb consumption for longer or for good.



Despite the downward revision to the fourth-quarter, OPEC said world oil demand in the whole of 2021 would rise by 5.96 million bpd, virtually unchanged from last month.



The growth forecast for 2022 was adjusted to 4.15 million bpd, compared to 3.28 million bpd in last month&#8217;s report and an estimate of 4.2 million bpd given by OPEC sources during the group&#8217;s last meeting on Sept. 1.



&#8220;The pace of recovery in oil demand is now assumed to be stronger and mostly taking place in 2022,&#8221; OPEC said. &#8220;As vaccination rates rise, the COVID-19 pandemic is expected to be better managed and economic activities and mobility will firmly return to pre-COVID-19 levels.&#8221; 



(Editing by Emelia Sithole-Matarise)

JFN5R5LQLJOE7L4Y2UY425AGMU

OPEC sees Delta variant weighing on oil demand before 2022 growth

Traders cautious ahead of the Central Bank’s MPC meeting

<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="820" height="506" src="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/JKOVXWJH5BI3RFVD6UUXVLOP3I-2-820x506.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-411287" srcset="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/JKOVXWJH5BI3RFVD6UUXVLOP3I-2-820x506.jpg 820w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/JKOVXWJH5BI3RFVD6UUXVLOP3I-2-300x185.jpg 300w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/JKOVXWJH5BI3RFVD6UUXVLOP3I-2-146x90.jpg 146w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/JKOVXWJH5BI3RFVD6UUXVLOP3I-2-768x474.jpg 768w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/JKOVXWJH5BI3RFVD6UUXVLOP3I-2.jpg 952w" sizes="(max-width: 820px) 100vw, 820px" /><figcaption>President Cyril Ramaphosa delivers his State of the Nation address in parliament in Cape Town, South Africa, February 11, 2021. Esa Alexander/Pool via REUTERS</figcaption></figure>



JOHANNESBURG, Sept 12 (Reuters) &#8211;&nbsp;South&nbsp;Africa&nbsp;will ease COVID-19 restrictions and shorten its nationwide curfew from Monday after a decline in infections, President Cyril Ramaphosa said in a televised address.



Authorities will also extend the hours of alcohol sales, the president said, further relaxing restrictions introduced in June to combat a third wave of cases caused by the Delta variant.



&#8220;While the third wave is not yet over, we have seen a sustained decline in infections across the country over the last few weeks,&#8221; Ramaphosa said.



Authorities reported 3,961 new cases on Sunday, compared with a peak of about 26,500 per day in early July.



The announcement will bring the country down one level in its five-tier system of restrictions, where five is the highest, to an &#8216;adjusted level 2&#8217;.



The curfew will start one hour later at 11 p.m. but still last until 4 in the morning. Shops will be able to sell alcohol from Monday to Friday. All alcohol sales were banned in June, then allowed in shops from Monday to Thursday in July.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-read-more-africa-s-covid-19-third-wave-stabilises-as-vaccine-levels-rise-who">Read more: <a href="https://www.cnbcafrica.com/2021/africas-covid-19-third-wave-stabilises-as-vaccine-levels-rise-who/">Africa’s COVID-19 third wave stabilises as vaccine levels rise – WHO</a> </h3>



Bars and restaurants have been allowed to serve it during opening hours since July.



Ramaphosa appealed for more people to get vaccinated, saying there were enough doses for everyone, but only about 7 million people out of a population of more than 60 million were fully protected.



South&nbsp;Africa&nbsp;has been one of the worst-hit on the continent in terms of reported cases and deaths.



Health insurers have cited vaccine hesitancy as a key factor affecting the pace of the vaccination campaign.



Ramaphosa said the country was working hard to increase the number of people getting the shot, focusing on older or otherwise vulnerable individuals. He added that the country was also looking at vaccine passports and would provide more information on this later. 



(Reporting by Emma Rumney; Editing by Andrew Heavens)

JKOVXWJH5BI3RFVD6UUXVLOP3I 2

South Africa loosens COVID curbs as third wave eases

Booster Shots And Vaccine Mandates: The New Plan To Beat Covid-19

<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="820" height="556" src="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/GEMBJIUBG5O5FBB5GNO2BYNCNE-820x556.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-412029" srcset="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/GEMBJIUBG5O5FBB5GNO2BYNCNE-820x556.jpg 820w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/GEMBJIUBG5O5FBB5GNO2BYNCNE-300x203.jpg 300w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/GEMBJIUBG5O5FBB5GNO2BYNCNE-133x90.jpg 133w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/GEMBJIUBG5O5FBB5GNO2BYNCNE-768x521.jpg 768w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/GEMBJIUBG5O5FBB5GNO2BYNCNE.jpg 960w" sizes="(max-width: 820px) 100vw, 820px" /><figcaption>President Hakainde Hichilema casts his ballot in Lusaka, Zambia, August 12, 2021. REUTERS/Jean Ndaisenga/File Photo</figcaption></figure>



LUSAKA, Sept 10 (Reuters) &#8211; Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema said on Friday his new government would implement policies to reduce the fiscal deficit, restore economic growth and review mining policies.



In his first address to a new session of parliament since his election in August, Hichilema said officials would also review agricultural policies, revise electricity prices and reform state power firm Zesco.



Last November Africa&#8217;s second-biggest copper producer became the first country on the continent to default on its sovereign debt during the pandemic, after failing to keep up with payments on its more than $12 billion of international debt.



&#8220;Rebuilding our economy is top on our agenda. We will implement policies to address the fiscal deficit while ensuring that confidence is restored in the markets,&#8221; Hichilema said.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Read more: <a href="https://www.cnbcafrica.com/2021/zambian-opposition-leader-hichilema-wins-2021-presidential-election/">Hichilema faces task of reviving Zambian economy after landslide win</a></h3>



&#8220;We have indeed inherited an economy that is in dire straits and requires bold and decisive action to be taken,&#8221; he said, adding that his government was committed to halting the accumulation of expensive public debt.



Zambia&#8217;s external debt includes about $3 billion in Eurobonds, $3.5 billion in bilateral debt, $2.1 billion owed to multilateral agencies and $2.9 billion in commercial bank debt.



Zambia also owes mining companies more than $1.5 billion in value-added tax (VAT) refunds, an issue that soured relations between the government and the mining sector.



The VAT refunds are the top priority for the industry, said Zambia&#8217;s Chamber of Mines CEO Godwin Beene, who represents mining companies including First Quantum Minerals&#8217; Kansanshi Mining and Barrick Gold&#8217;s Lumwana Mining.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-game-changer-for-mining-companies">&#8216;GAME-CHANGER&#8217; FOR MINING COMPANIES</h2>



Hichilema&#8217;s market-friendly stance will attract new investment into Zambia&#8217;s mining sector and help boost the country&#8217;s copper production at a propitious time of near record-high copper prices, Beene said.



&#8220;This election was a game-changer for the industry,&#8221; he told Reuters.



Hichilema&#8217;s predecessor, Edgar Lungu, had pushed for greater state ownership of mines. State mining investment company ZCCM-IH took on $1.5 billion in debt in January to take over Glencore&#8217;s majority stake in the Mopani copper mine.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Read more: <a href="https://www.cnbcafrica.com/2021/zambias-new-finance-minister-to-prioritise-imf-talks/">Zambia’s new finance minister to prioritise IMF talks</a></h3>



The previous government was looking for an investor to fund the mine&#8217;s expansion, which would boost output from 34,000 tonnes of copper a year to 150,000 tonnes.



Zambia as a whole hopes to increase its annual copper output to 2 million tonnes by 2026, new finance minister Situmbeko Musokotwane said last month. The country produced 882,000 tonnes last year.



Hitting that target will require significant investment in Mopani and other mines across Zambia, as well as in exploration. 



(Reporting by Chris Mfula; Additional reporting by Helen Reid; Writing by Alexander Winning and MacDonald Dzirutwe; Editing by Edmund Blair and Gareth Jones)

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Zambian president promises to cut deficit, review mining policies

<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="820" height="547" src="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/KZUCXYAQVFMOFJETFAM46YRRPA-820x547.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-412021" srcset="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/KZUCXYAQVFMOFJETFAM46YRRPA-820x547.jpg 820w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/KZUCXYAQVFMOFJETFAM46YRRPA-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/KZUCXYAQVFMOFJETFAM46YRRPA-135x90.jpg 135w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/KZUCXYAQVFMOFJETFAM46YRRPA-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/KZUCXYAQVFMOFJETFAM46YRRPA-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/KZUCXYAQVFMOFJETFAM46YRRPA-scaled.jpg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 820px) 100vw, 820px" /><figcaption>A health worker prepares a dose of China&#8217;s Sinovac Biotech vaccine for coronavirus disease (COVID-19) during a mass vaccination program at a school building in Jakarta, Indonesia, July 26, 2021. REUTERS/Willy Kurniawan</figcaption></figure>



JOHANNESBURG, Sept 10 (Reuters) &#8211; China&#8217;s Sinovac Biotech is in talks about setting up a vaccine production facility in South Africa with its local partner, the chief executive of Numolux said on Friday.



Hilton Klein made the comments at the launch of the South African leg of a global Phase III trial of Sinovac&#8217;s COVID-19 vaccine in children and adolescents.



&#8220;This clinical trial is a precursor to the establishment of a South African vaccine manufacturing facility partnered by Sinovac and Numolux Group that will cover the entire spectrum of vaccinations beyond just the COVID-19 response,&#8221; Klein told a news conference.



&#8220;We are in talks with Sinovac to set up a vaccine manufacturing facility. A phase one where we will do bottling and labelling so that we can get vaccines out to the people of Africa as soon as possible,&#8221; he added.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-read-more-sinovac-to-trial-covid-19-vaccine-in-south-african-children-as-part-of-global-study">Read more: <a href="https://www.cnbcafrica.com/2021/sinovac-to-trial-covid-19-vaccine-in-south-african-children-as-part-of-global-study/">Sinovac to trial COVID-19 vaccine in South African children as part of global study</a></h3>



Sinovac did not immediately respond to a request for comment.



Sinovac and Numolux are enrolling 2,000 participants in the South African leg of their study evaluating the efficacy, immunogenicity and safety of the CoronaVac vaccine on children and adolescents aged 6 months to 17 years.



The global trial will also enrol participants in Chile, the Philippines, Malaysia and Kenya.



South Africa&#8217;s government is considering using the CoronaVac vaccine in its immunisation programme alongside shots developed by Pfizer-BioNTech and Johnson &amp; Johnson which have been administered so far.



Drugs regulator SAHPRA in July gave conditional authorisation for use of Sinovac&#8217;s vaccine against COVID-19 for people aged between 18 and 59 years.



(Reporting by Alexander Winning Editing by Mark Potter and Louise Heavens)

Mass vaccination program for coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Jakarta

Sinovac in talks about setting up South Africa vaccine production, partner says

Cape Town – Health Minister Joe Phaahla says South Africans who are vaccinated against Covid-19 will probably be issued with digital vaccination certificates in about a week’s time.



Phaahla said on Friday the certificate would be available through a person’s smartphone, and can then also be printed out.



He said the digital vaccination certificates had been developed with fraud protection and other security measures and would be aligned with international standards.



“This initiative is in line with the World Health Organization-initiated vaccination certificate. Through this, the WHO is attempting to standardise vaccination proof all over the world,” he said.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-read-more-what-is-a-vaccine-passport-and-will-you-need-one-the-next-time-you-travel">Read more: <a href="https://www.cnbcafrica.com/2021/what-is-a-vaccine-passport-and-will-you-need-one-the-next-time-you-travel/">What is a ‘vaccine passport’ and will you need one the next time you travel?</a></h3>



South Africa doesn’t currently require vaccine passports for travellers coming into the country. Only PCR test results not older than 72 hours are required.



Phaahla said the certificate would probably be used for certain services in the future, but the government had no intention of making the certificate a requirement for accessing public services.



According to the WHO, the digital Covid-19 certificates were proposed as a mechanism by which a person’s Covid-19-related health data could be digitally documented via an electronic certificate.



The certificate can be used in the same way as a paper-based vaccination record/card. That is to provide information to health-care providers about the vaccination status of individuals, providing a basis for health workers to offer a subsequent dose and/or appropriate health services as appropriate.



In some instances, vaccination cards are also used to facilitate international travel, for example in the case of yellow fever, where a vaccination certificate may be required by some countries as a condition of entry.

Swiss…

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<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="740" height="416" src="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/106928093-1629121893682-gettyimages-1334142759-cg6a1626_2021081412940649.jpeg" alt="" class="wp-image-412006" srcset="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/106928093-1629121893682-gettyimages-1334142759-cg6a1626_2021081412940649.jpeg 740w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/106928093-1629121893682-gettyimages-1334142759-cg6a1626_2021081412940649-300x169.jpeg 300w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/106928093-1629121893682-gettyimages-1334142759-cg6a1626_2021081412940649-160x90.jpeg 160w" sizes="(max-width: 740px) 100vw, 740px" /><figcaption>Kyndal Bolden, 15, holds the hand of her aunt as she receives a COVID-19 vaccination dose on August 14, 2021 in New Orleans, Louisiana. Mario Tama | Getty Images</figcaption></figure>



LONDON — Looking at the Covid case data in the U.S., U.K. and the rest of Europe, you’d be forgiven for thinking that, despite 18 months of a global health crisis and advanced vaccination rollouts, we’re in just as bad a situation as we ever were.



Certainly the number of Covid cases being recorded daily in the West remains high, and even resembles earlier peaks at different points, or Covid waves, during the pandemic.



The current 7-day moving average of daily new cases stands at 153,246, an increase of 4.9% compared with the previous 7-day moving average (of 146,087). The current 7-day moving average is 123.6% higher than the value observed around a year ago, according to data compiled by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). In total, more than 40 million Covid cases have been counted in the U.S. since the pandemic began.



Case rates in the U.K. also remain high. As of Sept 6., the seven-day average of daily new cases was almost 39,000 and the number of daily cases has remained high as the week has progressed; almost 40,000 new cases were reported on Wednesday, and around 38,000 cases were recorded on Thursday, government data showed.



In the EU + EEA area (a total of 30 countries), in the seven days up to Sept. 5, 405,774 new cases were recorded, according to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, with Ireland, France, Sweden, Portugal, Greece and Bulgaria among the countries reporting the highest numbers of new cases per 100,000 population.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Read more: <a href="https://www.cnbcafrica.com/2021/long-covid-soon-there-could-be-a-test-to-show-if-you-have-it/">Long COVID? Soon there could be a test to show if you have it</a></h3>



The high numbers of cases remains attributable to the spread of the highly infectious delta variant, which usurped previous variants that themselves were more infectious than the original strain of Covid-19.



Nonetheless, the rise in cases has accompanied the advancement of vaccination programs in the West with the majority of adults in both the U.S. and Europe now fully vaccinated.



In the U.S., 62.4% of all people over 12 years of age are fully vaccinated, CDC data shows, while over 82% of over-65s are fully protected. In the U.K., 80.4% of the population over the age of 16 are fully vaccinated and in the EU/EEA, 70.4% of adults have received two doses of a coronavirus vaccine, ECDC data shows.



Crucially, the number of hospitalizations and deaths accompanying the high number of cases has remained lower (and for some countries, much lower) than at earlier points in the pandemic when vaccination rates were much lower, proving that the coronavirus vaccines in use in the West dramatically lower the chance of a severe infection, hospitalization and death. Hospitalizations in the U.S. remain high, data from Our World in Data show.



Yet none of the vaccines in use in the U.S. or Europe is 100% effective, meaning that some vaccinated people will get Covid (so-called “breakthrough cases”) and a small number of those will get sick. The predominant delta variant has also lowered the efficacy of the vaccines on offer and some new studies show the immunity provided by shots wanes over time.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-are-cases-high"><a></a>Why are cases high?</h2>



CNBC asked epidemiologists based in Britain why cases remain so high given the relatively high vaccination rates in the West.



“The delta variant is highly contagious and this accounts for the continuing high number of cases now that we are mixing much more freely since most restrictions were eased,” Andrew Freedman, a reader in infectious disease at Cardiff University School of Medicine, told CNBC Thursday.



“Those catching Covid now are a mixture of unvaccinated, partially vaccinated and double vaccinated people.&nbsp;A large proportion of new infection are in (unvaccinated) children and adolescents,” he noted.



“We know that the vaccines are only partially effective at preventing people from catching the delta variant, but are much more effective at protecting against severe disease, hospitalisation and death.&nbsp; Fully vaccinated individuals are mostly getting only mild symptoms if they do catch it, although a small minority, especially older and more frail people, are still getting more severe illness.”



In the U.K., the latest data from the ZOE Covid study, which tracks Covid symptoms and infections in the community using the data from around a million people every week, estimates that in the fully vaccinated population, there are currently 17,674 new daily symptomatic cases in the U.K.



It noted, in its latest research published on Thursday, that “cases in this group had been rising steadily but have now stabilised, with last week’s figure being 17,342.”



Meanwhile, new Covid cases are the highest among those aged 0-18 and 18-35 year olds, many of whom are only partially vaccinated (two doses of a Covid shot are vital to achieve maximum protection), or unvaccinated.



Similar data pertains to the U.S. and the rest of Europe over the last month: CDC data shows that the highest number of cases has been counted among adolescents aged 16-17 (though age groups from 12-49 have all seen a sharp increase in cases). In the EU/EEA the highest number of cases is among the 25-49 year old age bracket closely followed by the 15-24s and a rising number of cases among children, age 5-14.



Epidemiologists and public health experts have long-expressed the view that Covid-19 is just something we’re going to have to get used to, that the virus will become endemic and cannot now be eradicated.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Read more: <a href="https://www.cnbcafrica.com/2021/england-takes-leap-into-the-unknown-lifting-covid-rules-as-cases-surge/">England takes leap into the unknown, lifting Covid rules as cases surge</a></h3>



Pursuing a so-called “zero Covid” strategy (aiming to eliminate all Covid cases) has been seen as a hopeless cause by most countries, although Australia and New Zealand have pursued such a strategy. Australia announced at the end of August that it was abandoning such a policy, however, given the spread of the highly infectious delta variant. New Zealand is maintaining its strategy, for now.



Danny Altmann, professor of immunology at Imperial College London, explained to CNBC that societies need to assess to what extent they will tolerate the virus.



“We’ve always said, and still maintain, that the vaccines are amazing and give enormous levels of protective neutralising antibodies,” he told CNBC Thursday. Even if clinical studies show that the delta variant reduces the efficacy of vaccines, Altmann noted “there’s so much protective headroom that ‘most’ people should be safe.”



“In a sense that’s how we’ve seen it play out — with the delta variant and without vaccination we’d now be at several thousand deaths per day, but we’re at ‘only’ a few hundred, so there’s tangible mitigation of severe disease,” he said.



“However, our protection seems less robust against delta than we’d predicted when you consider that in the U.K. there are around 40,000 cases per day including many of these breakthroughs &#8230; [and] people becoming significantly unwell though not hospitalised,” he said, noting that data from Israel on giving booster shots showed that additional jabs could re-boost antibody levels and combat breakthrough cases.



A lot of the debate around Covid currently, Altmann said, “comes back to that policy/philosophy debate about what we’re now trying to achieve.”



“The extremes of the argument are, either that, at least until we see what happens in autumn/winter, we’ve achieved our goal as relatively high vaccine rollout has meant that hospitals can just about cope &#8230; Or, the other view is that we’ll never have normality unless we strive for a zero-Covid strategy, which would need to encompass vaccination in our schools to stop spread there,” he noted.



Those calling for a zero-Covid strategy encompassed people who believed that “we’re sitting ducks in perpetuity for ever more cases, until we allow through a much more resistant variant to really scupper us,” Altmann said.

106928093-1629121893682-gettyimages-1334142759-cg6a1626_2021081412940649

Why are Covid cases so high when millions are fully vaccinated? Blame the delta variant, experts say

<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="820" height="567" src="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/EQX3TO2DNZN7NKHNKZVTPL6J6A-820x567.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-411728" srcset="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/EQX3TO2DNZN7NKHNKZVTPL6J6A-820x567.jpg 820w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/EQX3TO2DNZN7NKHNKZVTPL6J6A-300x207.jpg 300w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/EQX3TO2DNZN7NKHNKZVTPL6J6A-130x90.jpg 130w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/EQX3TO2DNZN7NKHNKZVTPL6J6A-768x531.jpg 768w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/EQX3TO2DNZN7NKHNKZVTPL6J6A-1536x1062.jpg 1536w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/EQX3TO2DNZN7NKHNKZVTPL6J6A-scaled.jpg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 820px) 100vw, 820px" /><figcaption>FILE PHOTO: China&#8217;s Sinovac COVID-19 vaccines produced by VACSERA Co. are seen in Cairo, Egypt July 8, 2021. Picture taken July 8, 2021. REUTERS/Shokry Hussien</figcaption></figure>



JOHANNESBURG, Sept 9 (Reuters) &#8211; China&#8217;s Sinovac Biotech will trial its COVID-19 vaccine in children and adolescents in South Africa as part of a global Phase III study, Sinovac and local partner Numolux Group said on Thursday.



The study will evaluate the efficacy, immunogenicity and safety of the CoronaVac vaccine on children and adolescents aged 6 months to 17 years, the firms said in a statement.



The global trial will enrol 14,000 participants across Chile, the Philippines, Malaysia and Kenya, including 2,000 in South Africa, they said.



The trial has been approved by South African drugs regulator SAHPRA, and the first child will be vaccinated at the MeCRU Clinical Research Unit based at the Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University on Friday.



&#8220;The primary objective of the study is to evaluate the efficacy of two doses of CoronaVac against confirmed symptomatic COVID-19 cases in children and adolescents&#8230; efficacy will also be evaluated against hospitalisation and severe COVID-19,&#8221; Sinovac and Numolux said.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-read-more-who-begins-shipping-chinese-vaccines-despite-some-misgivings">Read more: <a href="https://www.cnbcafrica.com/2021/who-begins-shipping-chinese-vaccines-despite-some-misgivings/">WHO begins shipping Chinese vaccines despite some misgivings</a></h3>



The South African government has said it is considering using the CoronaVac vaccine in its immunisation programme alongside shots developed by Pfizer and Johnson &amp; Johnson which have been administered so far.



SAHPRA gave conditional authorisation for use of Sinovac&#8217;s vaccine in July.



But last month a senior health official told Reuters the government was looking for more information from the Chinese company on how its vaccine performs against the Delta coronavirus variant as well as in populations with HIV.



South Africa&#8217;s vaccination campaign started slowly due to onerous negotiations with pharmaceutical companies and the emergence of the Beta coronavirus variant which scuppered plans to use AstraZeneca&#8217;s shot from February.



So far, more than 10.3 million of its roughly 60 million people have received at least one dose of vaccine, equivalent to around 17% of the population. 



(Reporting by Alexander Winning Editing by Jason Neely and Mark Potter)

China’s Sinovac COVID-19 vaccines produced by VACSERA Co. are seen in Cairo

Sinovac to trial COVID-19 vaccine in South African children as part of global study

<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="820" height="503" src="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/DW4SLE6GKFOBNM7H2XGJM223KU-820x503.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-411982" srcset="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/DW4SLE6GKFOBNM7H2XGJM223KU-820x503.jpg 820w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/DW4SLE6GKFOBNM7H2XGJM223KU-300x184.jpg 300w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/DW4SLE6GKFOBNM7H2XGJM223KU-147x90.jpg 147w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/DW4SLE6GKFOBNM7H2XGJM223KU-768x471.jpg 768w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/DW4SLE6GKFOBNM7H2XGJM223KU.jpg 960w" sizes="(max-width: 820px) 100vw, 820px" /><figcaption>A man receives a vaccine against the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) at the Masaka hospital in Kigali, Rwanda March 5, 2021. REUTERS/Jean Bizimana/File Photo</figcaption></figure>



JOHANNESBURG, Sept 9 (Reuters) &#8211; Rich nations would do better to send vaccines to Africa to help fight the global COVID-19 pandemic rather than hoarding them for third-dose booster shots that scientific evidence does not back, the African Union&#8217;s (AU) top health official said on Thursday.



Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) director John Nkengasong told a news conference he was baffled some rich countries were disregarding World Health Organization (WHO) advice to hold off from booster shots until more people were fully vaccinated worldwide.



&#8220;The problem we have with the third doses is: we have not seen enough science behind them,&#8221; he said. &#8220;It is really confusing to me as to why we are moving towards a vast (administration)&#8230; of the booster dose.&#8221;



Wealthy countries such as Germany, France and Israel are planning to administer third shots, over concerns that immunity from the standard two-shot regimen is waning.



&#8220;We do not know at what point immunity drops to a level at which it stops offering (protection),&#8221; Nkengasong said. &#8220;Without (that science), you&#8217;ll surely be gambling.&#8221;



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-read-more-africa-demands-local-production-of-covid-vaccines">Read more: <a href="https://www.cnbcafrica.com/2021/africa-demands-local-production-of-covid-vaccines/">Africa demands local production of COVID vaccines</a></h3>



The global programme providing COVID-19 vaccines to poor countries is on course to fall nearly 30% short of its previous goal of 2 billion shots this year, the international organisations running it said on Wednesday.



The COVAX programme also urged rich countries that had met their domestic needs to forfeit volumes rather than administer third shots.



Nkengasong said such programmes in the West would make it hard for Africa to meet its target for vaccinating 60% to 70% of people, for which it needed at least 1.6 billion doses.



Currently only 3% of the continent were vaccinated, he said, while 145.4 million vaccine doses had been procured across the continent, of which three quarters had been administered.



In the meantime, the coronavirus continued to evolve, as it coursed though unvaccinated populations, he said: &#8220;Today it&#8217;s the Delta variant, tomorrow we just don&#8217;t know which variant will be out there.&#8221;



Africa has recorded 7.9 million cases, of which 201,000 have been fatal, he said. 



(Reporting by Tim Cocks; Editing by Edmund Blair)

DW4SLE6GKFOBNM7H2XGJM223KU

Give vaccines to Africa and ditch unproven third shot, AU says

Kenyan economy contracts 0.3% in 2020 due to COVID-19

<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="820" height="481" src="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/GettyImages-1219327286-820x481.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-411978" srcset="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/GettyImages-1219327286-820x481.jpg 820w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/GettyImages-1219327286-300x176.jpg 300w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/GettyImages-1219327286-153x90.jpg 153w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/GettyImages-1219327286-768x451.jpg 768w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/GettyImages-1219327286-1536x901.jpg 1536w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/GettyImages-1219327286-scaled.jpg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 820px) 100vw, 820px" /><figcaption>NAIROBI, KENYA &#8211; 2020/06/11: Kenyas National Treasury and Planning Cabinet Secretary, Ukur Yatani with the budget briefcase before leaving to Parliament for budget reading 2020/2021.
The budget worth Kenya Shillings 3.2 Trillion seeks to jump start an economy ravaged by the Covid-19 pandemic. (Photo by Billy Mutai/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)</figcaption></figure>



NAIROBI, Sept 9 (Reuters) &#8211; Kenya&#8217;s economic output contracted for the first time in nearly three decades last year, pummeled by the impact of the coronavirus crisis that hit key sectors like tourism, official data showed on Thursday.



Growth slid to -0.3% last year from 5.0% in 2019, the finance minister said at the release of the annual economic survey. The last time East Africa&#8217;s largest economy contracted was in 1992.



&#8220;The (coronavirus) containment measures constrained the economy,&#8221; Ukur Yatani said while launching the survey, whose release was delayed four months due to the pandemic and a rebasing exercise for calculating output.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-read-more-kenya-central-bank-says-has-space-to-cut-rates-urges-more-measures">Read more: <a href="https://www.cnbcafrica.com/2021/kenya-central-bank-says-has-space-to-cut-rates-urges-more-measures/">Kenya central bank says has space to cut rates, urges more measures</a></h3>



Annual output as of the end of 2019 went up by 5.3% after the rebasing, the statistics office said, with the year for calculating output being moved to 2016 from 2009.



Economies around the world usually rebase their calculations every 5-10 years to take into account technological changes and other developments. The last rebasing in Kenya was in 2014.



Last year, earnings from tourism slumped 43.9%, Yatani said, while international visitor arrivals dropped by 71.5% on the back of COVID-19 lockdown measures.



Still, Kenya&#8217;s economy fared better than the wider Sub-Saharan Africa region, which recorded a 1.9% contraction in output during the same year.



Yatani attributed that better than average performance to robust expansion in the agriculture sector, which benefited from adequate rainfall that spurred production of food crops and tea.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Read more: <a href="https://www.cnbcafrica.com/2021/kenyas-economy-to-bounce-back-this-year-but-still-vulnerable-world-bank/">Kenya’s economy to bounce back this year but still vulnerable -World Bank</a></h3>



The construction sector also defied the pandemic gloom to grow by 11.8%, the data showed.



Overall growth is expected to rebound to more than 6% this year, Yatani said, as the impact of the crisis starts to ease.



But higher oil prices could curb the growth momentum, Yatani warned, saying that some inflationary pressure is expected to persist well into the second half of this year.



The emergence of new worrying variants of the coronavirus, like the especially contagious Delta, and shortages of vaccines were also casting a shadow on the outlook, the minister said.



&#8220;We are not yet out of the woods,&#8221; said Yatani.



(Reporting by Duncan Miriri Editing by Mark Heinrich)

Kenyas National Treasury and Planning Cabinet Secretary,

COVID-19 pushes Kenya’s economy into first contraction in nearly 30 years

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J&J reports promising Ebola vaccine data

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Kenyan economy contracts 0.3% in 2020 due to COVID-19

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