Tony's Diary Package — page 933

Noes Summary * Epidemiological data suggest sustained increase in COVID-19 incidence across Gauteng, possibly fueled by cluster outbreaks * New variant (B.1.1.529) detected in multiple samples from across Gauteng * Public and private testing labs in Gauteng have noticed a significant and rapid increase in detection of variant (based on PCR proxy), and now increasing in other provinces * Mutation profile predicted to give significant immune evasion and enhanced transmissibility -- urgent work already started to understand full significance « We can make some predictions about the impact of mutations in this variant, but full significance uncertain and the vaccines remain the critical More later. I sent an email to Rochelle telling her that she better be prepared to move quickly with her team no later than tomorrow if in fact we decide that we are going to shut down travel from southern Africa. I tried to give her the benefit from my prior experience with shutting down from China as well as from the European states. She did not seem to be on top of things, and so I gave her a real strong briefing about the fact that she is going to have to move and move boldly. Nov. 26, 2021 - GLOBAL USA All set for Zoom with RSA folks this AM. Story starting to break as the South African public health people had a meeting and discussed all the details of the increase in cases that apparently are spreading rapidly throughout South Africa. 25Nov2021 SGTF sequence report - N Not sure about the evasion of vaccines , but the situation is certainly heating up . Will discuss whether or not we're going to restrict travel from South Africa later today at a 12 noon call with Jeff. Email from Cyrus Shahpar on 11/26/2021: