Unvaccinated health workers ‘not necessarily anti-vaxxers’

Gauteng health department spokesperson Foster Mohale said on Monday although fake news and misinformation continued to be contributing factors to the public and some health workers not vaccinating, the department was urging people to consider it.

“We are exploring various options to encourage people to consider the vaccine as the most effective way to protect themselves and their loved ones,” said Mohale.

This was after Democratic Alliance Gauteng shadow health MEC Jack Bloom said nearly half of Gauteng’s health workers were not fully vaccinated.

“Despite high Covid infections, 31 521 (36%) out of 86 630 health workers employed by the Gauteng health department are not fully vaccinated,” he said.

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“This bombshell information was revealed in a Gauteng health department presentation at a meeting of the Gauteng Legislature’s health committee.”

He added that according to the department, 55 109 (64%) of health workers are fully vaccinated.

“Since the start of the pandemic, 16 236 health workers have been infected with Covid, of whom 1 908 had to be admitted to hospital and 111 died,” said Mohale.

“The department blames the high number of staff declining vaccination due to ‘false propaganda’ on social media.

“About 15%-20% of [Emergency Medical Service] staff do not want to take vaccines as they do not trust the vaccine.”

Western Cape health department spokesperson Mark van der Heever said the department was able to vaccinate 76% of its health workers due to constant communication.

“We can do more but we are also aware it is voluntary. We also engage our staff on all platforms and provide them with information on the safety and protection the vaccines offer,” he said.

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Young Nurses Indaba Trade Union president Rich Sicina said health workers who made up 36% of those who were not fully vaccinated were not necessarily anti-vaxxers, but required more information, especially because some fell ill from the first jabs.

“The 36% of health workers who are not vaccinated fully are probably angry; remember, initially we were thrown in the deep end about the vaccine.

“I am one of the people who did not vaccinate. Some of us do not want to vaccinate, not because we are afraid of the vaccine but we are saying we were thrown in the deep end without transparency.

“It is important to be clear because a vaccine triggers two things; a vaccine has a dual status which triggers immunity and sickness at the same time,” he said.