Ramaphosa attempts to allay fears and skepticisms amidst doubts on COVID-19 vaccinations
COVID-19 wll have a long lasting effect in the world’s economy. According to World Bank forecasts, the global economy will shrink by 5.2% this year. The levels of unemployment around the world have also dramatically increased. This will ripple effect into other spheres of the society. Emerging market and developing economies (EMDEs) are expected to shrink by 2.5% this year, their first contraction as a group in at least sixty years. Per capita incomes are expected to decline by 3.6%, which will tip millions of people into extreme poverty this year. The sociopolitical and economic urgencies brought by the impact of COVID-19 have led to a record time in the manufacturing of vaccines. It takes traditionally 5–10 years to make a vaccine . This has unfortunately created doubts on the safety of the vaccines currently on the market. Moreover, some European governments have issued statements cautioning the safety of some vaccines. French President Emmanuel Macron said on Friday that AstraZeneca’s coronavirus vaccine appeared not to be effective for people over 65 years of age. Macron said there was “very little information” available for the vaccine developed by the British-Swedish company and Oxford University. Moreover, notwithstanding assurances from pharmaceutical companies on the safety of vaccines, some of their actions have not assisted in building confidence and establishing public trust. The CEO of Pfizer, Albert Bourla for an example confirmed on CNBC that he has not taken the vaccine. His rationale was that he did not want to be seen to be jumping the queue. It does not make sense; most leaders of the world including former Vice President of the US Mike Pence and the President of the US Joe Biden have taken the vaccine ahead of everyone else. Their actions were meant to establish and boast confidence on the safety of the vaccine. Bourla’s inability to take the vaccine as one of a leading manufacturers of the vaccine has added skepticism on the safety of the vaccines.
The first batch of AstraZeneca vaccines arrived in South Africa on 01 Feb from Serum Institute of India. The government of South Africa has come under pressure recently for lagging behind in rolling out the vaccines. South Africa’s reputation of being the most developed nation in Africa was undermined by a small island of Seychelles who became the first country in Africa to roll out vaccines. Seychelles, an archipelago of 115 islands off the east coast of Africa, on Sunday became the first African country to administer the Covid-19 vaccine. Seychelles aims to be the first country in the world to vaccinate 70% of the over-18-years age population in order to achieve herd immunity. This has led to considerable embarrassment for South Africa.
President of South Africa Cyril Ramaphosa was unfazed, instead he hastened to reassure the public that “no citizen will be forced to take the vaccine”. Facemasks are compulsory and failure to wear one in public may lead to imprisonment but vaccination is not compulsory? There is only one explanation to this rather confusing government decision; “government seeks to protect itself from possible litigation if anything goes wrong with vaccines” said a prominent South African politician. Ramaphosa’s assurances that citizens are not going to be forced to take the vaccine, come as increased number of people across the globe raise questions on the safety of vaccines. Moreover there have been a number of incidences where the vaccines have produced unintended results. In some instances vaccines have simply not worked. News of Chinese nationals in Luanda Angola who were re-infected after vaccination has added to mistrust of the vaccines. Reports surfaced 15 December 2021 that more than 300 workers at state-run firms in Angola and Serbia have been diagnosed with the Wuhan coronavirus despite being vaccinated with China’s vaunted vaccines. Skepticism of vaccines in general in Africa are also historical and froth with conspiracies. This is also partly what Ramaphosa was hoping to address when he said vaccinations were not going to be compulsory. One prevalent conspiracy theory, for example, holds that the Covid-19 vaccines are designed to quell Africa’s population growth. Skepticism extends to the tops of some governments too. In late January, Tanzania’s President John Magufuli dismissed Covid jabs as “dangerous for our health”. Andry Rajoelina, the president of the island state of Madagascar, has also touted an untested herbal remedy for Covid-19.
Notwithstanding skepticisms surrounding vaccines in Africa, there are also great stories of vaccinations. Recently the World Health Organisation announced that it has eradicated Polio in Africa, a great milestone made possible by mass vaccinations. On 20 August 2020, the Africa Regional Certification Commission certified the WHO African Region as wild polio-free after four years without a case. With this historic milestone, five of the six WHO regions — representing over 90% of the world’s population — are now free of the wild poliovirus, moving the world closer to achieving global polio eradication.
The desperate position most people find themselves as a result of COVID-19 will certain inspire vaccinations notwithstanding skepticisms. Moreover, at the beginning of the pandemic, related deaths and infections were very distant for many people. However with time, many people have become affected and infected by COVID-19, many have lost close relatives and friends. Consequently, there has been heightened sense of urgency to vaccinations. Moreover there are new global pressures to vaccination; countries have become strict towards visitors into their borders. COVID-19 vaccinations certificates have become compulsory and conditional to entry into many of countries. Therefore South Africans like many in the world will opt for vaccination to avoid inconveniences and interruption in their lives.