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WITH the third wave of Covid-19 infections slowly winding down in Gauteng, many elderly residents of the Eastern Cape are worried that their province could be next in line for a surge in infections. Most of them fear the Delta variant of the coronavirus, saying “it kills fast”.
Residents over the age of 60 in Zixinene village in kwaMathole, Middledrift, are particularly concerned about the third wave. Retired teacher Gosa Salusalu, 61, said, “We have seen people die in large numbers in 2020 and there is no way to ignore the instructions. Whether you have cultural or religious beliefs, it is wise to be vaccinated. In fact, I even decided to take my 94-year-old mother to get the vaccine at Middledrift Health Centre. The process was smooth. I could not leave her behind, considering that she is ageing.”
Many people in rural villages have struggled to register on the government’s digital portal, the Electronic Vaccination Data System. Former acting minister of health Mmamoloko Kubayi-Ngubane urged the public a few weeks ago to help senior citizens register online.
“I remember in the 1940s, we heard about destructive illnesses. But viruses such as HIV came to us as a shock,” said Lady Girl Nomawethu Peter, 75. “Now it is the corona which scares me every day. I got vaccinated on 17 June for the first dose and was asked to return on 29 July. Although I was worried, I slept well on the first day. This vaccine is a lifesaver.
“A young man from our community came to take our details the other week. I gave him the information he wanted because I don’t know how to operate my phone. The only thing I know is to make or receive a call. Some of us are uneducated.”
Dodgy internet
Asanda Mzongwana, 38, attended a workshop in East London to help him educate and raise awareness about the vaccine in his community. During the second phase of the vaccination rollout, he got a temporary job through the Solidarity Fund that required him to visit the homes of people over the age of 60 and register them.
Mzongwana used a smartphone to register 345 people in 13 villages during those three weeks. “Since 1 June, the elderly could not receive the SMSes. We struggle with the network on a daily basis at kwaMathole and the surrounding areas. Those who use Vodacom and Telkom, for instance, received the messages. But MTN users got stuck,” he said.
Ngqika-Mbo Traditional Council leader Nkosikazi Nosizwe Mhlambiso of the Ngqikambo said, “Though our people are coming from poor families and often have water challenges, we always encourage them to continue washing their hands, keep social distance and wear masks.
“I’m happy that the message about the vaccine is taken seriously because this virus caused tensions in many households. In fact, the pandemic changed our way of life, how we bury our loved ones, celebrate weddings and conduct cultural events. Most of the people we lead felt that being instructed to limit the numbers at funerals is anti-African, but current circumstances dictate that we should oblige. I’m hopeful that things will get better soon.”
A nurse at a vaccination centre attached to the Zithulele hospital in Mqanduli said a lot of older people arrived unregistered. “We assisted those who were unregistered or could not receive SMSes. Others just walked in. We took their information and vaccinated them.”
Nohotile Xakaza, 62, from Xotyana village said she didn’t understand the process. Instead, she heeded the announcement that anyone unable to register need only bring their identity document and confirm their contact number and physical address to get the jab. “I didn’t register for this thing. I only listened on the radio, watched TV and asked my daughter some things I wasn’t sure about. Remember that some of us come from deep rural areas. I had to pay R60 for transport to come to this centre. This money is too much for me as a pensioner,” said Xakaza.
Angry residents
At Ngcolosi village in Tsolo, things are different. The residents who live next to St Lucy’s hospital are furious at the provincial government over the Covid-19 quarantine site that is under construction a short distance from their houses.
Many of them fear that elderly residents and those with chronic illnesses may be easily infected if the project continues.
Residents protested outside the health facility late last year.
One, Matetlane Busani, 85, from Lujecweni, is still waiting to be vaccinated. “I struggle to walk. The nurses promised to visit us but they have not come to my place yet. I’m still waiting. I registered but I’m not sure if I received the message,” he said.
He added that the government said it would look after the residents. “We are the ones at risk of getting sick from this disease, but the nurses just drive past my place all the time,” said Busani, looking at his phone.
Phase one included all the frontline healthcare workers. They received the Johnson and Johnson vaccine. Phase 2 vaccinated people over 60 years old and those in congregate settings. The third and final phase, now underway, covers the remaining South African population.
The programme got off to a shaky start in February 2021. It encountered a number of setbacks such as supply, logistics and governance issues, but has gained momentum in recent weeks. As many as 200,000 doses are being administered daily. By the end of July 2021, almost 2.9% of the South African population had been fully vaccinated and 7.5% had their first of the two Pfizer doses.
Read more: COVID-19: key questions about South Africa’s vaccine rollout plan
Despite this uptake, many South Africans are still hesitant to take the vaccine. The circulation of misinformation about it poses the danger of hampering efforts to control the pandemic.
In this article, we aim to dispel some of the myths surrounding the COVID-19 vaccines.
Myth 1: The COVID-19 vaccine will affect a woman’s fertility
This myth was sparked when a social media post was shared in December 2020 by Dr Wolfgang Wodarg, a physician and former chief scientist for allergy and respiratory therapy at Pfizer, and Dr Michael Yeadon, a pulmonologist. They claimed that the spike protein on the coronavirus was the same as the spike protein that is responsible for the growth and attachment of the placenta during pregnancy. The fear was that, as a result of the vaccine, the immune system would not be able to differentiate between the two spike proteins and would attack the placental protein.
This is untrue. The overall makeup of the placental protein is very different from the coronavirus spike protein.
Additionally, during the Pfizer vaccine tests, 23 women volunteers became pregnant after taking the vaccine.
Furthermore, the benefits of being vaccinated outweigh the risks of infection for pregnant women.
Myth 2: I’ve had COVID-19, so I don’t need a vaccine
Reinfection with SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, can occur even in individuals who have previously contracted the virus. But receiving the vaccine can provide protection against severe COVID-19 complications.
The level of protection that is achieved from natural immunity after being infected by the virus is unknown. But scientists believe that the vaccine provides better protection than natural infection.
Read more: Why you should get a COVID-19 vaccine – even if you’ve already had the coronavirus
Myth 3: COVID-19 vaccine side-effects are dangerous
Several studies have been conducted since the start of the pandemic that have measured South Africans’ perceptions of vaccine issues. A recent study by the University of Johannesburg and the Human Sciences Research Council of South Africa found that of the respondents who did not want to be vaccinated, 25% were concerned about side-effects.
Most of the side effects of the COVID-19 vaccine are mild. They include low grade fever, sore arm and fatigue, and these usually subside after one to three days.
Rare side effects such as blood clots have been reported from the Johnson and Johnson vaccine. The chances of experiencing this side effect are low. The risks of blood clots as a result of COVID-19 infection are 8-10 times higher than risks associated with the vaccine. Doctors are aware of this concern and are trained to identify and treat the condition quickly.
A recent article by Healthline – a medically reviewed and fact checked website – compared the benefits and risks of being vaccinated with those of contracting COVID-19. Lung damage is a complication of COVID-19 while muscle fatigue can be a side effect of the vaccine. This risk-benefit decision is left to the individual to make, but vaccinations have been proven to be safe.
Myth 4: Vaccines have a microchip that will track and control an individual
This conspiracy theory has been propagated by anti-vaxxers who believe that the American business magnate, investor and philanthropist Bill Gates will implant microchips to track people’s movement, using the vaccine as the method of delivery. This is untrue and has been clarified by Gates in the media.
This myth gained traction when a video was shared on Facebook making false claims about the optional microchip on the syringe’s label of the COVID-19 vaccine. This microchip’s purpose is to confirm that the injectable and the vaccine are not counterfeit and haven’t expired. It will also confirm if the injection has been used.
People commenting on the video appeared to have misinterpreted the technology as an injectable. But the microchip is part of the syringe label and not the injectable substance itself.
Read more: The inherent racism of anti-vaxx movements
Myth 5: The COVID-19 vaccine development was rushed, so it may not be effective
The vaccine was developed very quickly. This was possible because the vaccine technology had been in development for many years. When the genetic information of SARS-CoV-2 was identified, the process could begin quickly. There were sufficient resources to fund the research and social media made it easier to recruit participants for the clinical trials. Because SARS-CoV-2 is contagious, it was easy to tell whether the vaccine worked or not.
Read more: Pressure is on to develop a COVID-19 vaccine, but corners can’t be cut
Myth 6: The COVID-19 vaccine can alter my DNA
The messenger RNA vaccine (Pfizer) and the viral vector vaccine (Johnson and Johnson) cause your body to develop protection, so that when you are infected by SARS-CoV-2, your body is prepared to fight the virus. DNA is located in the nucleus of your cells and the vaccine material does not enter the nucleus. So it does not alter the DNA.
Read more: Can the Pfizer or Moderna mRNA vaccines affect my genetic code?
Social media plays a huge role in propagating myths and conspiracy theories. Before you share any information, you should ensure that it is from a scientific and reputable source.
Sierra Leone Telegraph: 24 July 2021:
Chairman of Sierra Leone’s National Corona Virus Response Center (NaCOVERC) Mr. Sheku F. Bangura has criticised the UK government’s decision to place Sierra Leone on its Covid red list of countries.
Speaking at a press conference in Freetown last Wednesday, Mr Bangura said that Sierra Leone is a low infection rate country and should not be red listed.
He said that NaCOVERC has not been underreporting cases of COVID-19 in the country, as alleged by some researchers, and that they have been doing all they could to ensure that the real figures are shared with the public.
Speaking about the recently launched Seroprevalence Survey Report which indicates that Sierra Leone has been underreporting its COVID-19 cases by tens of thousands, the Chairman assured Sierra Leoneans and the UK Government that the report was referring to the amount of people exposed to the virus, and not those infected by it.
He said that the number of COVID-19 cases in the country has reduced to 3.1% which is way below the World Health Organization (WHO) average of 5%.
Bangura told reporters that Sierra Leone will be using diplomatic means to engage the UK Government to understand that his country should not be red listed since the number of cases has reduced to single digits.
Critics are lampooning the government on social media, accusing them of massaging the figures down to single digits because the UK government has placed the country on its red list.
A British media report this week shows that Sierra Leone in June to early July 2021, had the highest percentage of people testing positive for covid on their return to England from amber list countries.
Although this data may have partly informed the UK government’s decision to place Sierra Leone on the red -list from amber, Mr. Bangura said that Sierra Leone is now recording a downward trend in the Covid-19 cases as compared to late June, when the cases were soaring exponentially. He said that the case admissions and deaths have also reduced over the last few days.
He informed journalists that NaCOVERC has increased testing from 3000 to 5000 per week in order to ensure that more people are tested.
He appealed to all Sierra Leoneans to take the vaccine as it will help boost their immune system, and further urged everyone to always wear face masks and avoid public gathering in order to keep safe from the virus.
He added that the measures announced by the president in June of this year are effective and that the country is now recording single digit cases, adding that if it this trend continues – things will change for the better.
“Corona is here, and corona is in the world. The best way to protect yourself is to take the vaccine and observe the necessary precautions by washing of hands, avoiding public gatherings, and taking the vaccine,” he said.
Director of Health Services – Dr Mohamed A. Vandi, said that more testing and more vaccination is the way to go if the government is to reopen the country just as in the USA and England.
“All we have to do now is to ensure that 99% of our people take the vaccine so as to prevent them from the virus,” he said, adding that the virus will have to be with us for a long time and we have to be ready to deal with it.
Source - The Sierra Leone Telepgraph