‘Myths and misinformation’ fuelling Covid-19 vaccine hesitancy, says Zikalala
According to the premier people who fall under the vulnerable 60 plus age group are no longer registering or coming forward to get vaccinated.
KWAZULU-NATAL premier, Sihle Zikalala has voiced his concern about the declining number of vaccinations in the province which he says is being fuelled by ‘myths and misinformation’.
According to statistics, the province is vaccinating on average 30 000 people each day and less than 10 000 over weekends.
“What is even more concerning is the fact that people who fall under the vulnerable 60 plus age group are no longer registering or coming forward to get vaccinated. In fact, we still have around 400 000 of these senior citizens – who are at higher risk of succumbing to Covid-19 if they get infected – have not been vaccinated.
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“Even the 18-34 group, who are at far less risk of suffering Covid-19 complications, are doing much better when compared to these senior citizens. The province has to date administered a total of 2.3 million doses. This shows, once again, the level of damage that has been caused by all the myths and misinformation around the safety of the vaccine. We want to say to the people, ‘come and get vaccinated’,” he said.
Zikalala added there is a growing body of evidence that shows people who have been vaccinated tend to not suffer from severe illness or succumb to Covid-19, as compared to those who have not been vaccinated.
He added the health department officially launched Operation Siyagoma WayaWaya – Let No-one Be Left Behind last week.
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“This mass vaccination programme that we have re-packaged and launched will see all members of the Provincial Cabinet venture into churches, community residential units (or hostels), shopping malls, and various other places in order to drum up support for the life-saving medical intervention that is vaccination,” he said.
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