The South African Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Sacci) says the discovery of the new Covid-19 variant that has multiple mutations and is expected to be more transmissible has increased anxiety, which will affect business confidence.

“Of concern to us as business is the need for better communication by the Department of Health. We should all be proud of the world-class pedigree of our virologists and scientists who continue to set standards on their work around Covid. This effort is to be commended,” the organisation says in a statement.

It notes that, in the absence of workable therapies against Covid-19, the non-pharmaceutical and vaccination interventions remain the only tools to fight this.

“While we cannot question the science and ability of our scientists to do the right thing, we have to question the purpose of creating the panic that the public announcement has no doubt created. The UK has already taken the decision to ban flights from South Africa and neighbouring countries.

“The Department of Health could have handled the communication better, taking into consideration the impact on the economy, international trade partners and the public at large, without compromising on the scientific standards and any compliance requirements on protocols established with the World Health Organisation,” Sacci says.

“South Africa should temper its enthusiasm to make public announcements on discoveries, with a mature dose of judiciousness. By this we do not mean taking any risks with public health safety, transparency and a compromise in scientific standards,” it adds.

Sacci emphasises that no purpose is served by communicating in a manner that adds to more volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity.

At the same time, it highlights that it is not advocating for a lack of transparency, reckless management of public health or the concealment of data that is designed to assist in better healthcare management and the protection of public health safety.