Covid19: South African Government Considering Making Vaccination Mandatory

• The South African government may soon require all citizens to get the coronavirus vaccine administered
• Minister of Health Joe Phaahla says the SA government is looking into the possibility of making the jab mandatory
• People who have serious medical conditions that prevent them from getting the vaccine would be the only group that would not be forced to get vaccinated

JOHANNESBURG - South Africans may be required by the government to get the coronavirus vaccine, this is according to Minister of Health Joe Phaahla.

While Phaahla says vaccinations may be mandatory, the government has not yet made a definitive decision on the matter, according to a report by EWN.

According to Phaahla, the government is now discussing with several stakeholders the practicality of making vaccines mandatory but they are merely investigating their options at this time.

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He added that at the moment the government is looking into limiting entertainment and access to workplaces for individuals who choose the jab.

Phaahla says while this consideration has been made, he does not personally believe that such a mandate can actually become a reality, according to a report by BusinessTech.

According to Salim Abdool Karim, WHO science council member, Covid-19 vaccination should only be made compulsory to people that are eligible to get the vaccine from a medical standpoint. Karim noted that there are people who may not be able to get the jab for medical reasons.

Minister of Health Joe Phaahla concerned over Covid 4th wave, which he expects in November

Briefly News previously reported that Health Minister Joe Phaahla expects that the fourth wave of Covid-19 cases in South Africa will begin in November as South Africa continues to combat the third wave.

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Professor Salim Abdool Karim an infectious disease expert as well as the former chairperson of the government’s Ministerial Advisory Committee (MAC) expressed that the expected fourth wave of Covid-19 cases might begin close to the 2 December and commence for more than two months.

Karim stated that the data points to the third wave concluding near the end of August. Government is expecting the fourth wave to unfold in a similar way to the third wave along with a new variant.

Following reports by SABC News Phaahla, has lauded the younger generation for their enthusiasm towards the vaccination drive as registrations for the 18 to 34 age group received over 500 000 applications on the first day alone.

Source: Briefly News