Kimberley – While the Northern Cape government is deliberating on the details of the Covid-19 vaccine rollout, many residents in the Northern Cape had mixed reactions to whether they would take the jab.
Some residents indicated that the rollout was merely a money-making scheme by the government, while others indicated that they will give the vaccine a skip.
“There needs to be more education around this vaccine and how it would benefit people. There are some reports which state that people would need more than one vaccine. That if you take the first vaccine, then you will need to take another one. Also, it is just a vaccine and not a cure to the virus.
“There is not enough information to confirm that one cannot contract the virus once you have the injection.
“The number of Covid-19 infections are not accurate; they never had been from the start. Although there are many people infected with the virus, the majority of people have managed to recover from the virus. Those of us who have never been infected by the virus do not need the vaccine,” they said.
Other residents even said that the government is giving out contradicting statements.
“The vaccine comes when the country has recorded the lowest number of infections. The President (Cyril Ramaphos) also lifted many of the restrictions.
“Surely a decrease in infections is an indication that people are winning the fight against the virus. Many people are adhering to the regulations and have made peace with this new lifestyle.
“The vaccine can be made available to those who feel they need it. There is also ivermectin, which is said to be more effective than the vaccine.
’’First, the government banned the sale of ivermectin, but now it is made available to be sold. People are not certain what the right information is and that creates room for all the conspiracy theories people have about the virus and the vaccine,” they said.
There were some who indicated that the vaccine was a move in the right direction by the government to restore the “normal” way of life.
“We have been living with this virus for way too long. We need to return to the way we used to be and the way we used to do things. Our children cannot be raised in a world where they are required to wear a mask everywhere.
’’The vaccine will enable the rate of infections to decrease and people would not have to move around in fear that they might get sick and die.
“This virus has disrupted the lives of many people and its reign needs to be stopped. We have been living under restrictions and have been suspicious of each other’s health statuses.
’’This vaccine will eliminate all those stereotypes and thoughts we had of people who were infected,” hey said.
The provincial government will relay details regarding the rollout later this week.
DFA