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Frontline workers have embraced the ongoing Covid-19 vaccination as evidenced by the number of workers that have so far been vaccinated since the start of the programme nation-wide last Monday.

A number of doctors, nurses, journalists and other frontline workers targeted for vaccination under the first phase have been vaccinated.

The country received a donation of 200 000 Covid-19 vaccine doses from China about two weeks ago and it then launched its national vaccination programme on 18 February when Vice President Dr Constantino Chiwenga who is also the Minister of Health and Child Care was the first citizen to be vaccinated.

Senior health officials then launched the vaccination programme in different provinces on Monday by taking the jab first.

The excitement among frontline workers that have come forward to be vaccinated has shamed the naysayers who have been trying to cause confusion by peddling falsehoods regarding the Sinopharm vaccine the country received from China.

Some sections of the private media and social media are trying to throw spanners in the works by disseminating false information regarding the vaccine rollout programme. Much to the chagrin of peddlers of falsehoods, the frontline workers already vaccinated are encouraging those who are yet to be vaccinated to come forward as the country works towards achieving 60 percent herd immunity.

We have said it before that the media should play its critical role of disseminating correct information to assist the people to make informed decisions especially on issues to do with their lives such as the ongoing vaccination programme.

What is encouraging is that Vice President Chiwenga who is also the Minister of Health and Child Care is leading from the front in encouraging citizens to be vaccinated as one of the many preventive measures against this pandemic that has caused havoc globally and claimed millions of lives.

The Government has said people’s lives come first hence it has sacrificed some economic activities and some citizens’ liberties as it grapples to contain the spread of the pandemic.

It therefore boggles the mind when individuals claim the same Government wants to put the lives of its citizens at risk by vaccinating them against Covid-19.

The Sinopharm Covid-19 vaccine has 76 to 86 percent efficacy and has been endorsed by the World Health Organisation (WHO).