As the first batch of COVID-19 vaccine is due to arrive in South Africa some people – from the ordinary man in the street to frontline workers – say they are ready to take it. The fact that KwaZulu-Natal remained a hot spot of the pandemic has motivated many to take part in the vaccination programme.
The second wave of COVID-19 saw the province of KwaZulu-Natal registering a higher number of people infected with the number of deaths over a 100 a day between December and early January.
In the video below are contributing factors that have led to South Africa’s second wave of COVID-19:
The pandemic is not sparing leading figures in society either. Among those who died from COVID-19-related causes are National Teachers’ Union President (Natu) Allen Thompson and Transport MEC, Bheki Ntuli.
Fear for their families’ safety is one of the reasons that is motivating some people to be willing to take part in the planned vaccination programme.
“I am going to take it reason being under not normal it not easy to survive reason being you are scared of everything you really do not know where to contract this virus the life is not normal at all I’ve got a hope that maybe when we get vaccinated we are going to be saved because I have seen a number of people dying even at workplace dying of this COVID-19 and I have got nothing against the virus because I have not heard any bad news like I’ve heard on the coronavirus,” says Zinhle Mngomezulu.
Healthcare worker, Thabisile Blose, says she does not mind taking the vaccine first. Blose says frontline workers work under pressure, not knowing if they have taken the virus to their loved ones.
“I’m willing and I am ready to me it is something I’ve been waiting for quite a while because I’ve seen people and my colleagues actually succumbing to this virus. Taking the vaccine that is going to make me stronger against the virus I will definitely take it, this is the second wave and I don’t know how we managed to sail through the past wave and with my whole team in my department none of us were infected and bearing in mind that we work in the very small area, which is the mouth but it been extremely hard going to work and coming back not knowing whether you got the virus whether you will give it to your family,” she adds.
After being infected with COVID-19, Sanele Nzimande does not need to think twice about taking the vaccine.
Nzimande says he thought he was going to die.
“Yes indeed I will take the COVID-19 vaccine my reason is being, I survived COVID-19 just two days after Christmas I was extremely ill and when I went for COVID-19 test the results came back positive, I was extremely sick. It is something I don’t wish even for my worst enemy,” he says.
“I would take anything that can protect me against coronavirus when I was sick, I could see I was dying, in one night I woke up struggling to breathe I thought of how young my kids are to grow up without their father, it was difficult, I could not even take three steps without struggling to breathe,” Nzimande adds.
Another father – Bongani Nxumalo – is urging people not to be fooled by myths like the belief that the virus is spread by 5G mobile networks.
“I am eagerly waiting for the vaccine and will indeed voluntarily take it one of my reasons is I have seen people dying from COVID-19. Our hopes as ordinary citizens should be on the vaccine to help our bodies to fight the coronavirus. I would appeal to other citizens to take serious COVID-19; it kills and forget about other rumours. Coronavirus has killed both the rich and poor people it does not discriminate. Let us adhere to all the regulations we are given by government to save our lives,” pleads Nxumalo.
Frontline workers have been earmarked to be vaccinated first in the country’s first phase of its vaccination programme.
In the video below, SA awaits the first batch of COVID-19 vaccine from India:
