Open AccessCoronavirus Disease 2019 Diagnostics: Key to Africa's Recovery
Author(s) -
Sanushka Naidoo,
Jesse Gitaka,
Sara Suliman,
Sara de Jesus Santos Baptista,
Blessing Mbabie Oyedemi,
Emmanuel Nepolo,
Shymaa Enany
Publication year - 2022
Publication title -
dna and cell biology
Language(s) - Uncategorized
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.895
H-Index - 77
eISSN - 1557-7430
pISSN - 1044-5498
DOI - 10.1089/dna.2021.0540
Subject(s) - pandemic , coronavirus , covid-19 , outbreak , virology , biology , vaccination , disease , diagnostic test , intensive care medicine , infectious disease (medical specialty) , medicine , veterinary medicine , pathology
With the coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19) becoming a full-blown outbreak in Africa, coupled with many other challenges faced on the African continent, it is apparent that Africa continues to need diagnostics to enable case identification and recovery to this and future challenges. With the slow vaccination rates across the continent, reliable diagnostic tests will be in demand, likely for years to come. Thus, access to reliable diagnostic tools to detect the severe acute respiratory syndrome of the coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), the virus responsible for COVID-19, remain a critical pillar to monitor and contain new waves of COVID-19. Increasing the local capacity to manufacture and roll-out vaccines and decentralized COVID-19 testing are paramount for fighting the pandemic in Africa.