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16 September 2021 | Story Nonsindiso Qwabe | Photo Supplied
Dr Samantha Potgieter.

As COVID-19 vaccines continue to be a topical issue in South Africa and indeed in the world itself, the Department of Human Resources held a webinar for the UFS community on 10 September that delved deeper into the questions surrounding the vaccine. 

Dr Samantha Potgieter, infectious disease expert at the Universitas Academic Hospital and affiliated Lecturer in the Department of Internal Medicine at the University of the Free State, addressed some commonly raised concerns about the COVID-19 vaccine and how it affects us.

Dr Potgieter started off by saying that coronaviruses have been causing outbreaks among humans for millennia. While COVID-19 is relatively mild and self-limiting in 80% of patients, 20% of patients are at risk of developing severe disease.
She said before a vaccine could be introduced to a population, it had to go through rigorous testing and clinical trials. Only once safety has been confirmed, it can be released and distributed. 

“This process usually takes about ten years; this is what we are used to. But it has happened much quicker for the COVID-19 vaccine, and I think this is a fact that many people misinterpret – that the evidence might not be that robust, which is certainly not the case. COVID-19 vaccines have gone through all this rigorous testing, thousands of patients had volunteered for trial testing studies. The point is that we already had the technology, vaccination is not something new to humans. So, these preclinical trials were able to happen very quickly, and because of the large number of infections and because the focus of the entire world was on finding a cure, it was a very set process to get these trials through the adequate phases.” 

She said the COVID-19 vaccine was approved by national regulators, manufactured to exacting standards, and only thereafter distributed – as is the case for all drugs released into the market.

How does the vaccine work?

Dr Potgieter said the vaccine works by producing antibodies against the COVID-19 virus. If you are infected with the COVID-19 virus after getting vaccinated, these antibodies bind to the virus and stop it from replicating.

“When you get infected with a disease such as COVID-19, natural antibodies are produced by the immune system to fight the disease. If you get infected again, the immune system will remember how to respond, and quickly destroy the virus. A vaccine can do the same, but without the risk of disease from natural infection. Vaccines work by imitating a bacteria or virus using either mRNA in the case of the COVID-19 vaccine, or a dead or weakened version of the bacteria or virus. The vaccine raises the body’s alarm. It trains the body to recognise and fight the virus. When the body encounters the real-deal virus, it is primed and ready to fight for the body’s health.”

She said South Africa had the mRNA vaccine in the form of the Pfizer vaccine, and the adenoviral vector vaccine in the form of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.

Why should you get the vaccine?

Dr Potgieter said vaccines are safe and effective, and the most compelling reasons for getting vaccinated are the following:

-To protect yourself from severe disease
-To protect those around you who may be at risk of severe disease
-To restore the social and economic platforms of the country, and the world at large.
She said that while the vaccine does not prevent you from getting COVID-19, it offers better protection against the development of severe disease, and vaccinated people had 50% less chance of spreading the virus.
The most common side effects of the vaccine are the following:
-Pain at the injection site
-Swollen lymph nodes
-Fever
-Fatigue
-Headache
-Myalgia (muscle pain)

“These are indications that the immune system is mounting a response. When it mounts a response, it produces antibodies,” she said.

Answers to commonly asked questions are the following:

1. Can the vaccine alter my DNA?
“No, it goes nowhere near the nucleus of the cell.”

2. What happens when you get COVID in between the first and second doses?
“Some protection is conferred after the first dose, but maximum protection is conferred two weeks after the second dose. Vaccination is still advised.” 

Dr Potgieter said patients who were between vaccinations still show better recovery results than those without.

3. What about natural immunity?
“Natural immunity might confer better protection, but it runs the risk of severe disease. Yes, immunity can be gained through natural immunity, it can be gained through vaccination, and it can certainly be gained by a combination of the two.”

4. What about long-term side effects?
“Serious side effects that cause long-term health problems following any vaccination are very rare, including the COVID-19 vaccination.”

To get the answers to more of your questions, the webinar can be accessed via the following link: https://event.webinarjam.com/go/replay/43/053q6a8vay9a0qa2

News Archive

Power shortage: Measures to be implemented immediately
2008-01-31

1. In order to avoid the further implementation of power sharing, electricity companies countrywide are requiring, in addition to measures announced for domestic consumers, that major power consumers save a certain percentage of power.

2. Die UFS is one of the 100 largest clients of Centlec, the local electricity distribution company. During a meeting last Thursday evening with the 100 largest clients, it was indicated that the UFS had to deliver a saving of 10%. The details are as follows:

  • Provision is made to a certain extent for an increase in electricity consumption. The calculation is done as follows: maximum consumption for 2007+6%-10%.
  • This entails a saving during peak times, as well as a saving regarding the total number of units consumed.
  • The saving is calculated on a monthly basis.
  • Saving measures must be implemented immediately (from 7 March). If electricity-saving goals are not attained, power sharing will be resumed from 10 March.

3. The UFS has been controlling its peak demand by means of an energy control system for many years. The geysers of residences and certain central air-conditioning systems were linked to the control system in order to shift energy consumption to non-peak times.

4. In order to attain the goal of 10%, it is necessary to implement further energy control systems and additional measures – which requires time and money. Attention will have to be given, inter alia, to the following:

  • The 1000+ portable air-conditioning units on the campus (huge power guzzlers) must be connected to energy control appliances and systems.
  • All the filament bulbs must be replaced.

7. The UFS will be conducting high-level talks with Centlec later this week with a view to:

  • conveying the unique needs of the UFS in detail;
  • stating the impact of building and refurbishing projects that are currently in the implementation and planning phases;
  • requesting understanding for the fact that the UFS does not have the capacity to immediately deliver the 10% saving.
     

It is evident from discussions thus far that Centlec is sympathetic and wants to help, but also that immediate action and co-operation are expected from the UFS. During the meeting, the UFS must also report back on steps already taken (since 7 March) in this regard.

8. The installation of the emergency power units for the large lecture-hall complexes and a few other critical areas, which has already been approved, is continuing. About R3m is being spent on this. Additional emergency power needs reported to Physical Resources via line managers are currently being investigated with a view to obtaining a cost estimate and subsequently determining priorities in consultation with line managers.

It is recommended that:

a) All line managers, staff members and students be requested to give their full co-operation with regard to saving electricity in every possible way, and that current operational arrangements be amended if possible with a view to promoting power saving. 

Staff, students and other users of campus facilities be requested to see to it that lights and air conditioning (individual units) in unused areas are switched off.

b) The following measures drawn up in co-operation with electrical engineers come into effect immediately:

Arrangements to be made by Physical Resources staff:
(Additional capacity to be able to complete everything within a reasonable period of time will have to be found and funded. This aspect will be taken up with the line managers concerned):

  • The geysers of all office buildings will be switched off at the distribution board. Staff are requested to use a kettle for washing dishes, and are warned not to switch appliances on again themselves.
  • In all office buildings where 12V and 15W downlighters and uplighters remain switched on for decorative purposes and do not serve as primary illumination, the light switches will be disconnected.
  • Lighting in cloakrooms will be checked, and illumination levels will be reduced if possible.
  • All light armatures must be replaced by CFL types.
  • All lights on the grounds will be checked to ensure minimum power consumption.
  • The upper limit of all central cooling systems currently regulated via the energy control system must be set to 24 degrees.

Arrangements to be made by Kovsie Sport:

  • Sport activities requiring sports field illumination must be scheduled after 20:00 in the evening (the lights may not be on between 18:00 and 20:00.)
  • Sports field illumination must be managed so that such lights are not switched on unnecessarily.
     

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