‘People must vaccinate,’ urges woman who lost both parents to Covid-19

A 55-year-old Eastern Cape school teacher is one of thousands of people who have seen first-hand the death and destruction of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Nombulelo Gogoba lost both her parents in a month and watched as the virus wiped out 373 members of the Women’s Manyano-Umcosa congregation nationally.

Gogoba lives in a small town in the Amatole region of the province. She said her mother, aged 79, experienced fever and loss of appetite on 7 January. Gogoba decided to take her mother to the nearby hospital, where tests confirmed the elderly woman had contracted Covid 19.

Although Gogoba’s mother had mild symptoms, she died just two days later.

At the same time, Gogoba’s father started showing symptoms through coughing. He also tested positive for Covid-19 and was told to isolate at home.

“He couldn’t attend my mother’s funeral because he had to isolate himself from everyone, and it was so painful that he could not say goodbye,” said Gogoba.

Gogoba said the community shunned their family after news of her mother’s death spread in the small town.

“The community distanced themselves from the whole household. Residents were saying if people came near us, they would get Covid and die,” said Gogoba.

Her father succumbed to the disease two weeks later.

Gogoba, part of the Women’s Manyano, said the church had lost 373 congregants since the outbreak of the disease last year.

“Wives, mothers, breadwinners have been lost. Children have been orphaned,” she said.

“Through prayers, we managed to survive everything. But now people must go out and vaccinate,” she stressed.

Gogoba said the Butterworth community was divided on vaccines.

“Some people are saying the vaccine is evil and it will kill more people.”

But the government has sent more nurses to the community to educate people on the benefits of getting vaccinated.

There’s also been an increase in vaccination sites in the area. Gogoba said she is relieved to see people coming “in their numbers” to get the jab after so much misinformation.

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