PERC: Biweekly Report (24 November – 07 December 2020)

Reporting period: 24 November–7 December
Biweekly Report
With the prospect of a widely available COVID-19 vaccine for Africa still months away, health officials are concerned that travel for the December holidays will increase cases and overwhelm health system that are already taxed. As many AU Member States—and countries around the world—experience second waves, the lack of availability and high cost of COVID-19 tests continues to be a problem, particularly as countries resume international travel. The Institut Pasteur in Dakar, Senegal anticipates the rollout in February 2021 of a rapid COVID-19 test that can be taken at home at the cost of US $1, in hopes that improving the frequency and availability of testing across the continent will save lives while AU Member States await a vaccine.