“People become complacent and that is the concern” - Professor Salim Abdool Karim
Professor Salim Abdool Karim is a South African epidemiologist and infectious diseases specialist.
Professor Karim joined Martin Bester on 7 September 2020 to answer a few listener questions.
Professor Karim is Director of the Centre for the AIDS Program of Research in South Africa (CAPRISA) and CAPRISA Professor of Global Health at Columbia University.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Karim was chosen to lead a 45-person Ministerial Advisory Committee.
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The committee was intended to guide the South African government's response to the pandemic and included several other medical experts.
Professor Karim confidently said: "It has been declining sharply. We are on an excellent trajectory. We are in a good place right now.
"We need to be prepared for a second wave. People become complacent and that is the concern. Masks are one of the most important preventative measures. We’ll have to wear it for as long as the virus is still active."
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Listen to the full conversation with Martin Bester and Professor Salim Abdool Karim below.