Don’t wait, vaccinate and curb disinformation about vaccines
The chairperson of the immunisation committee encourages South Africans to get vaccinated.
THE chair of the National Immunisation Safety Expert Committee, Professor Hannelie Meyer, has urged the public to dispel dangerous myths about vaccines.
The professor, on Monday, took part in a campaign on Twitter to curb disinformation about vaccines.
“The aim of the vaccines and getting vaccinated is to prevent severe infections,” Meyer said. “We understand the fears and concerns of people about the safety of the vaccines, but we want to encourage them to vaccinate to reduce the effects of Covid-19,” Meyer said.
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She stressed that even when one has been vaccinated, one can still get infected but will experience mild symptoms.
Meyer said, at times, infected people end up with symptoms that can last for months.
“You have to weigh the benefits of getting vaccinated against the risks. The aim of vaccinating is to prevent the severity caused by the disease,” she said.
With regard to booster shots, Meyer said these will ensure much higher protection.
The Department of Health said that while younger people are not without risk, 40% of hospital admissions occur in people below the age of 50.
* Notice: Coronavirus reporting at Caxton Local Media aims to combat fake news
Dear reader, As your local news provider, we have the duty of keeping you factually informed on Covid-19 developments. As you may have noticed, mis- and disinformation (also known as “fake news”) is circulating online. Caxton Local Media is determined to filter through the masses of information doing the rounds and to separate truth from untruth in order to keep you adequately informed. Local newsrooms follow a strict pre-publication fact-checking protocol. A national task team has been established to assist in bringing you credible news reports on Covid-19. Readers with any comments or queries may contact National Group Editor Irma Green (irma@caxton.co.za) or Legal Adviser Helene Eloff (helene@caxton.co.za)
