Why Travel to South Africa During COVID-19

So it seems that that world is slowly emerging from its two year COVID slumber. Countries are relaxing their regulations and finally, you are allowed to get onto a plane, but a plane to where? We here at Ashanti Backpacker Lodge have some ideas about that (well one in particular; Visit South Africa).

picture of table mountain from Cape Town harbour

What Makes it Viable to Travel to South Africa During the World Pandemic?

There is no need for a vaccination certificate when entering South Africa
Even if you DO test positive but don’t have symptoms, you won’t need to self-isolate.
South Africa has vast open spaces so there is no shortage of clean, fresh air.
Since the New Years Eve of 2021, there has been no curfew and no restrictions other than the required face masks.
The warm weather in South Africa drives people outdoors minimising the spread of not only Covid-19 but communicable ailments in general.

All safety protocols are still in place in restaurants, clubs, and holiday accommodation; this means that you need to sanitise your hands upon entry and wear your mask when moving around these establishments.
In South Africa the person-to-area ratio is lower in comparison to that of the UK and Europe; this slows the spread of COVID-19 substantially.
The warm weather in South Africa drives people outdoors minimising the spread of not only Covid-19 but communicable ailments in general.

Cape Town in Lockdown – A Thing of the Past

Whatever CoronaVirus Disease control measures are in existence, are reasonable, and unlike the case in many other countries, the traveller doesn’t feel restricted.
The popular venues and leisure hot spots are still open to visitors; this includes beaches, scenic routes, national parks and cities (like Cape Town).
South Africans and all those in the country are finally allowed to participate in social events.

Just a Side Note

Due to the country’s struggle against the HIV epidemic in the ’90s, we, here in South Africa, have some of the world’s most skilled virologists. As such it was no surprise how South African doctors discovered the Omicron variant first. There is no evidence suggesting that the Omicron variant started in South Africa.

On November 24, 2021, South Africa came under the spotlight when local scientists reported the new variant to the WHO. The outbreak in Johannesburg was remarkable but the numbers of those infected were soon dwarfed by the statistics submitted by the US, the UK and Europe. As you read this blog, South Africa’s average of daily new infections is minuscule in comparison to the aforementioned regions.

What we do know about the Omicron Variant is that it displaces its more deadly predecessors ( Alpha and Delta ) and is found to lead to less hospitalizations.

COVID is known to leave behind antibodies in its host as such the faster spreading Omicron Variant seems to be building immunity.

In Closing

South Africa, also known as the Powerhouse of Africa was a popular Pre-COVID travel destination. Considering how the country has dealt with the pandemic there is no reason why it shouldn’t be the same right now. As this blog post is written there is already a noticeable increase in tourism from the countries allowing their citizens to travel.

If you are a citizen of one of these countries looking to travel, perhaps South Africa is just the destination for you.