Using vaccine at the polls is good news

Even government would find it hard to deny it hasn’t handled the whole vaccination roll-out with aplomb.

After struggling to acquire vaccines right from the start earlier this year, there’s no doubt government has been slow in educating and encouraging people to get the jab in the fight against Covid.

Corruption continues to plague its efforts, while just not enough people are going to get their jabs.

But credit needs to be given where credit is due and, despite the sluggish start, things seem to be changing
for the better.

SA recently opened up vaccinations to the 12 to 17 age group, following separate drives to get people aged 18 and above vaccinated in four different roll-outs.

Now, it seems, authorities are starting to think out of the box in an effort to boost the vaccination programme.

They have to, as planned, reach a target of 70% of the adult population getting vaccinated before the year is up, but we are considerably behind that figure with just two months to go.

So, Health Minister Dr Joe Phaahla’s announcement that they will use Monday’s elections as a tool to get more people vaccinated is good news.

Eligible voters who have not yet received a Covid vaccine, or are due for a second Pfizer dose, can vote and get their shots on election day.

Well, at least at pop-up vaccination sites at 1 000 voting stations throughout the country.

Said Phaahla: “We know that our biggest weapon against Covid is vaccination and we have to use every opportunity where people will be gathered to offer vaccination.

We hope that this arrangement [pop-up vaccination sites] will offer convenience in that people will have travelled from their homes and can achieve both their vote and vaccination in one trip.”

If we are to get the nation vaccinated, more brave, clever thinking is needed. Long may it continue.