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Omicron is the most mutated form of SARS-CoV-2 that the world has seen. These changes allow it to spread faster and outsmart your body’s natural defences. But the immune system has some tricks up its sleeve that help protect you from getting severely ill.

The Omicron variant was identified in South Africa at the end of November and has quickly begun to dominate new infections in the country. Here’s what the data tells us so far about how quickly Omicron spreads — but truly understanding the variant will take more time.

As the second year of coronavirus pandemic reporting draws to a close, the Bhekisisa team takes a look back at their favourite stories of the past twelve months.

Reports of a rare heart condition linked to the Pfizer COVID vaccine should not deter teens from getting the jab.

Wealthy nations were quick to ban southern African nations from entering their borders when the Omicron variant was identified – but not against each other. Unfortunately, this type of discrimination is nothing new.

Powerful governments, including the European Union and the UK, are resisting a proposed deal that could enable companies in less developed countries to legally manufacture COVID products developed by large pharmaceutical companies.

The use of ivermectin to treat COVID-19 remains unproven with little to no evidence that it works. Although the medication can now be legally accessed with a doctor’s supervision, some people continue to use the animal version of the drug. Here’s why that’s dangerous.

Africa is building up a genomic surveillance network of 12 regional hubs that will help the continent to prepare for future pandemics.

For now, booster COVID vaccines are mostly offered to those with weakened immune systems. Here’s what we know about how long COVID shots can protect you.

Africa’s reliance on companies outside the continent can be turned around in time for the next health crisis. A new World Health Organisation initiative will make this happen by helping nations make jabs without slogging through the trial and error of developing a new vaccine.

As South Africa’s teenagers line up to get their Pfizer COVID jab, many parents are concerned about the possible risk of heart inflammation. We break down the numbers behind this extremely rare side effect and why it shouldn’t deter teens from getting a shot.

December holidays are upon us and so are family braais, going to the movies and sports events. But is it safe to do these things? Well, yes and no. It depends how many people there are, how far they’re sitting from each other and how much ventilation there is.

There’s less demand for human ivermectin in South Africa when the country is in between COVID waves. But nobody is tracking how many people may be using the animal formulation.

Africa is building up its own vaccine manufacturing capacity which will make the continent less dependent on wealthy nations for vaccine supply.

South Africa has enough unused doses of Pfizer vaccines to immunise half of the country’s 6.5-million children aged 12 to 17. This means matriculants will be protected as they sit their final school exams. But they’ll only be getting one dose of the two-shot vaccine.

Pregnant people are more likely to fall very ill with COVID-19 than those who are not pregnant. This is why experts recommend pregnant people get vaccinated. We answer four questions about how the jabs work during and after pregnancy.