Government’s decision to open vaccinations to people older than 18 was “definitely a move in the right direction”.
This is the view of Dr Thandeka Moyo-Gwete, a virologist at Wits University’s School of Pathology.
The youngest cohort so far was initially scheduled for vaccination from September 1, with registration set to have opened on August 20.
Government announced the earlier vaccination dates on Thursday as Covid-19 infections continued rising and the number of people getting vaccinated slowed.
Professor Mosa Moshabela, chief medical specialist and dean of nursing and public health at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, said government’s move was a “milestone that ensures that all adults with comorbidities are able to get their vaccines, including those below the age of 35. This was a missing link in our national vaccination campaign”.
It is hoped that government’s decision will get more people vaccinated and bring down infection levels.
Changing the narrative
The vaccination of the younger age group is expected to rapidly increase vaccination coverage.
“There are about 18 million people in this age category – more than any other age group we’ve dealt with in the vaccination campaign so far. Once this age group overcomes their fears and concerns about the vaccine, and as many of them get vaccinated and gain confidence in the vaccines, they are going to shift the vaccine narrative from negative to positive – simply because they know how to shape social media narratives,” Moshabela said.
Young people are expected to not only drive up vaccination numbers in the younger population, the professor added. “I think they’ll play a major role in encouraging their elders to get vaccinated. They are an influential group in our society.”
Caution
While an increase in fully vaccinated people is encouraging, it may not translate into herd immunity if it does not break the chain of transmission, Moshabela cautioned.
“High coverage is only one part of getting us closer to herd immunity, but this will be difficult if we still have unpredictable new variants that can escape current vaccines.
This age group will certainly help us build up our coverage, but herd immunity in its true meaning, that is beyond just high coverage, will require more than the 18- to 34-year-olds.”
Bridging the gap
The SA Medical Association (Sama) has raised concerns about government’s Covid-19 messaging failures.
Sama vice-chairperson Dr Mvuyisi Mzukwa told City Press on Thursday that government should prioritise targeting people who are most at risk.
Mzukwa said: “People who are at risk are those over the age of 40 and with underlying medical conditions. That is where the campaign should be. This thing of wanting to reach numbers when you have actually left out people who are at risk is not assisting the country.”Mzukwa also expressed concern about vaccine access disparities between individuals in rural and urban areas.
“What we have noted is that – especially in the rural areas – people who are 40 and above who have not gotten the jab have not done so for many reasons, including inaccessibility to transportation or the inability to access information about where the vaccination sites are.
“That is why we are urging government to target the people who are at risk and not just run after numbers, or aim to appear to have vaccinated a lot of people while, in fact, we have left those who are at risk unvaccinated.”
Covid-19 trends
The third wave has been relentless, with an unpredictable trajectory two months in.
Ridhwaan Suliman, senior researcher at the CSIR, said that the third wave was rearing its head once again.
A notable increase in new Covid-19 cases has been recorded in recent days, with all provinces showing an increase.
Suliman said KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape are still recording sharp increases. From August 12 to August 19, KwaZulu-Natal averaged 3 078 daily new cases, reporting a cumulative 442 698 confirmed cases.
The province averaged 2 297 new daily cases in the same period in the previous week.
Cutting red tape
Speaking during a virtual media briefing on Friday morning, Health Minister Joe Phaahla said more than 4.6 million people are now fully vaccinated. This accounts for 12% of the adult population.
Meanwhile, 8 million people, equivalent to 20% of the adult population, have received at least one vaccine dose.
He conceded that this is still a considerable way off from government’s 70% vaccination target, “but at least we are somewhere on the journey”.
“The benefits of opening up early is that we can now say that all adults for whom the vaccine has proven to be safe can now be vaccinated. We can cut the bureaucratic and administrative red tape – with just your ID, you can get registered,” Phaahla said.
It is also possible to register for vaccination with a birth certificate showing an ID number.
The results of a University of Johannesburg survey released on Wednesday showed that concerns among citizens who are hesitant about taking the Covid-19 vaccine are related to side-effects, the efficacy of the vaccine and distrust of the vaccine and/or government.
READ: A survey highlights aspects of Covid-19 vaccine hesitancy
Moshabela said that government needs instant communication strategies that are designed around what matters to ordinary citizens.
“They need to show in every possible way that they care about ordinary South Africans, and they’ll do everything possible to ensure their safety. Government should not mess this one up,” he said.
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
