Pretoria: UK and SA government scientific experts met on Monday, 27 September 2021 to discuss the latest trends around Covid-19, respective Covid-19 testing strategies, and the prevalence and risk posed to our vaccination programmes by variants of concern.
The UK and SA are both leading scientific nations and the meeting was initiated by the UK High Commission and South African government to ensure the most up-to-date and accurate sharing of information.
The UK side expressed its gratitude to SA experts for their willingness to share both data and expertise.
The insights provided will feed into the next review of UK border measures which is due to take place within the next fortnight.
UK and SA experts also discussed the recognition of each other’s vaccine certificates. The UK side explained that, following some initial pilots, it was now seeking to extend its recognition of vaccine certificates around the world as rapidly as possible.
The UK expressed its willingness to take forward discussions with the SA government on this matter. The UK and SA governments both support and recognise the importance of vaccination as a way out of the Covid-19 pandemic
For more information and media enquiries, please contact:
Foster Mohale
Director Media Relations
Department of Health
0724323792
Foster.mohale@health.gov.za
Isabel Potgieter
Head of Communications
British High Commission
0833911606
isabel.potgieter@fco.gov.uk