Limpopo government says the province's youth are hesitant to vaccinate

• The youth in Limpopo are the most hesitant to vaccinate across all age groups.
• This is according to a report tabled by health authorities at the provincial executive council meeting.
• The province has the highest vaccination coverage in the country.

The youth in Limpopo were found to be at the lowest level of the Covid-19 vaccine uptake across all age groups in the province, prompting the government to devise strategies to increase vaccination coverage.

According to a report, tabled by health authorities at the recent provincial executive council meeting, only 50% of the youth have been vaccinated.

Government spokesperson Ndavhe Ramakuela said the province had the highest vaccination coverage in the country, with 77.7% for those aged 60 years and older and 70.4% for those aged 50 to 59 years.

"However, there are considerable gender differences in Covid-19 vaccine uptake across age groups, with the youth category (18-34 years) being the lowest.

"Robust social mobilisation strategies and service delivery models are being deployed to arrest the decreasing vaccine uptake over the festive period," Ramakuela said.

He said the strategies involved 57 new sites being introduced and necessary resources strengthened at 283 primary health centres during the festive period. 

Meanwhile, Limpopo Premier Stan Mathabatha moved to allay fears that people moving into the province during the festive holidays would be forcefully vaccinated at roadblocks to be set up at all entry points.

On Tuesday, Mathabatha was at the Mantsole Weigh-In Bridge on the N1 to oversee the set-up of a multi-disciplinary roadblock - one of the many roadblocks to be manned at all entry points in the province throughout the festive season.

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Earlier, in a statement, Mathabatha protested that he was quoted out of context in a message that went viral on social media platforms, which suggested unvaccinated travellers coming into the province would be forced to take a jab at the roadblocks. 

Last week, Mathabatha participated in a round-table discussion, with other premiers, on a NewzRoom Afrika TV show, where he said: "We will be encountering more cases of Covid-19 in our province. That is why we are saying we will be manning roadblocks and ensuring that people coming into the province, who are not vaccinated, would be in a position to be vaccinated instantly there and then at the roadblocks..."

However, the statement disputed that he implied people would be forcefully vaccinated. 

"Whilst the statement is in line with what was said, the context in which it has been used afterwards, on those (social media) platforms, implies that the province will forcefully vaccinate those who are not vaccinated, a different message from what the premier had sent through..."

The number of infections in the province continue to grow in the province since the start of the festive season, with 496 cases recorded in the 24 hour reporting period ending 19 December 2021.

Limpopo currently has 6 067 active cases, with 4 120 deaths recorded since the start of the pandemic.