None of these Covid-19 vaccines ‘are coming from the devil’, says Mkhize

Health Minister Dr Zweli Mkhize says the vaccines that South Africa plans to rollout are not coming from the devil.

Responding to a question on whether Chief Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng’s prayer against vaccines “of the devil” could have affected Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccines, Mkhize said the chief justice never said the vaccine was from the devil.

Mkhize on Sunday announced the pausing of the rollout of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine following a clinical trial showing the doses were ineffective on about 2000 patients infected with the newer strain of Covid-19.

The efficacy of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine dropped to 22% against the 501.V2 variant, sparking speculation that it could be the vaccine the chief justice prayed against.

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But Mkhize said it was not so, as the chief justice did not specifically say the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine was from the devil. He further said the discussion around the vaccine was not whether it was safe, but rather its effectiveness on the new variant.

“I did listen to Justice Mogoeng talking about the vaccine from the devil. I must say that I think in a particular language you can say so but as far as I am concerned none of these vaccines are coming from the devil.

“I also didn’t hear him call AstraZeneca as such, but I also believe that we serve one God and all of us as people whether we’re in London or South Africa or anywhere, there wouldn’t be a difference in the way that God would look at us and therefore I wouldn’t expect that God would actually act on a vaccine in South Africa while this vaccine is doing well in London, India, Europe and everywhere else.

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“We shouldn’t mix the two issues as such. It was an expression from the chief justice; really more of a religious expression to assure people that they would be protected and protection would come from God. AstraZeneca has not shown to be dangerous. It’s not dangerous. The issue is its efficacy against the new variant.”

Mkhize said he would be willing to take the vaccine in public, along with other leaders who are also ready to take it, for people to see there is nothing wrong with vaccines.

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