Amid Surging Covid19 Cases, KZN Health MEC Reminds South Africans That Vaccines Can Be Life Saving

• The KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) MEC for Health Nomagugu Simelane has encouraged South Africans to get vaccinated due to the sharp rise in Covid-19 infections
• She said that the vaccine will protect people from dying from Covid-19 or being hospitalised with severe cases
• KZN's vaccination rollout will be expanded to allow beachgoers to get vaccinated on new Year's Eve at pop-up sites at various beaches in Durban

DURBAN - Nomagugu Simelane, the KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) MEC for Health, has encouraged South Africans to get vaccinated due to the sharp rise in Covid-19 infections recently due to the Omicron variant spreading rapidly across the country.

In KwaZulu-Natal, 4.4 million people still need to be vaccinated. Simelane said she is on a mission to have a successful vaccine rollout in the province by informing more people about the extent of the protection which the vaccine provides.

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"In KZN, the numbers of those vaccinated are extremely low and we are worried about that, so we took the decision to go to communities themselves," Simelane said.

Vaccination rollout expansion plans

Simelane announced that KZN's vaccination rollout will be expanded to allow beachgoers to get vaccinated on new Year's Eve at pop-up sites at various beaches in Durban, SABC News reports.

The KZN Health MEC referred to vaccination as "the gift of life" and said that all South Africans should give this gift to themselves and their loved ones this festive season. According to IOL, most people who have died from Covid-19 were not vaccinated.

Simelane told the public not to fear the vaccine or be hesitant towards it, but to rather receive it as soon as they can, as Covid-19 will remain in circulation for a long time and they need to be protected.

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Reactions to KZN Health MEC's statement

@AndileMlondo asked:

"Is she vaccinated?"

@nene_thamsanqa remarked:

"Last time I checked, she was not jabbed, citing personal choice."

@TTOfficialSA believes:

"Vaccines protect those who are vaccinated."

@Siviwe_G said:

"Let’s do for ourselves and for those for whom it was too late."

@faroukee shared:

"Why would someone choose to suffer and die a horrible death when a safe vaccine is on offer and billions of people have shown its efficacy? Get vaccinated. Don't die."

20k Durban healthcare workers still unvaccinated

In other news about unvaccinated people in KZN, Briefly News previously reported that the festive season is at its peak and as a result, eThekwini is seeing only a few people who are willing to get vaccinated.

The eThekwini Municipality has now taken the decision to close down all vaccination sites as well as pop-up sites that were stationed near beach entrances for the duration of the festive because only five beachgoers have taken advantage of the sites since 16 December.

Vaccination sites were closed on Christmas Day, Boxing Day and the public holiday that falls on 27 December. The sites will also be closed on New Year's Eve and New Year's Day.

Source: Briefly News