Region prepares for Covid-19 vaccines
Victor Mulangisi
The much-awaited vaccines anticipated to be a redemption in the spate of the uncontrollable deaths caused by Covid-19 in the region, province country and worldwide are at an arm’s length.
The relief statement came from the Joint Operations Centre meeting at the John Taolo Gaetsewe district municipality where the Department of Health was presenting the latest developments about the pandemic.
The first batch of vaccines arrived in South Africa on 01 February 2021 from India.
The district Department of Health said that the phase one preparations for the Covid-19 vaccine (AstraZeneca) has started in the district. Training of district-based vaccinators started on January 20, 2021. In light of the spiraling mortality rate due to Covid-19 related complications, this is a great stride towards controlling the damning situation.
In his address to parliament on January 07, 2021 Health minister Dr Zweli Mkhize hinted that government is coming with a three-pronged approach to the roll-out of the vaccine(s). The vaccination road map aims at preventing morbidity and mortality, achieving herd or population immunity and preventing ongoing transmission.
According to the collective prognosis, government feels safe to have a 67-70% population immunised to break the current cycle of transmission. This is called herd or population immunity.
The chilling news behind the pandemic’s onslaught is that experts are foreseeing a third wave of the cheeky virus between March and April this year. This means government has to purchase these vaccines directly from its coffers with rapidity to outpace the anticipated abysmal dilemma. A stitch on time saves nine . . .
One million doses were delivered on 01 February 2021 and another 500 are expected in mid February this year from the Serum Institute of India (SII).
There is a variety of vaccines available on the market approved by the Food Drug Association (FDA) whose efficacy have been proven to be more than 95%. AstraZeneca has a relatively good price compared to Moderna, Pfizer, Johnson & Johnson. Other names in the vaccine league are Sinopharm and Sputnik V already in circulation in other countries.
The South African government has taken a bold step to initially roll-out AstraZeneca to its citizens with health workers as a priority. Any delay in the provision of these vaccines will show a despondent and gloomy country, characterised by mourning in every sector of the economy and community.
