Professor Salim Abdool Karim: What we know about the Coronavirus now

Professor Salim Abdool Karim: What we know about the Coronavirus now

What we know about COVID-19 is changing rapidly and Professor Karim joined Breakfast with Martin Bester to share new information. 

Professor Salim Karim Breakfast
Caprisa/Facebook

Professor Karim is the Director of the Centre for the AIDS Program of Research in South Africa (CAPRISA) and a Professor of Global Health at Columbia University. 

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Karim was chosen to lead a 45-person Ministerial Advisory Committee. 

Experts believe the virus spreads mainly when people are in close contact, via droplets an infected person expels while talking, coughing, sneezing, singing, or breathing hard. 

READ: Crisis! There’s a shortage of Marmite in South Africa 

Professor Karim answered a few Breakfast with Martin Bester listener questions. 

Reinfection rate: 

Symptoms are reportedly worse: Five cases in various countries have confirmed that the second infection is much worse than the first time around. 

COVID-19 long haulers:

They have a debilitating tiredness lasting up to five months.

READ: Vehicle stripped in less than three hours in Johannesburg

Blood Type O: 

According to Professor Karim, genetic studies show broad associations, so one must be very careful and still take all the precautions regardless of blood type.

Stays on surfaces for 28 days: 

The outcome of the study in Australia is not unusual. You need a specific quantity of the virus to cause infection.  

Listen to the full podcast below. 

Show's Stories