Zimpapers Logo

WHILE political vultures like Fadzayi Mahere have gone on overdrive in their quest to create a Covid-19 vaccine crisis in Zimbabwe, Government is pressing ahead with plans to vaccinate at least 60 percent of the population.

The plan by Government will suppress new infections to the extent that we can all go back to life as we know it.

Wrote Mahere, the MDC-Chamisa spokesperson on her Twitter account yesterday: “I associate myself fully with this campaign by @ZimRightsLIVE. Govt must do the research to ensure the right vaccines are bought.

“They must publish the vaccine plan. We demand open and transparent vaccine procurement contracts.”

It is public knowledge that the world over, vaccines are still being studied.

Zimbabwe is no exception, as we have reported before, blood and swab tests will be conducted for members of the public who will voluntarily take the Covid-19 vaccine, while identification documentation will be required to help Government gather data for the assessment of the rollout.

All vaccines must be scientifically ascertained to be safe before, during and after the rollout.

Because local vaccination will be voluntary, people like Mahere are free to get vaccinated under programmes rolled out by Governments that they trust.

Fortunately, for those of us who trust their own Government, our President can also tweet.

“Life can only return to normality once the majority of Zimbabweans have been vaccinated. This is the ultimate goal.

“Thank you to both China and Russia for their donation of Covid-19 vaccines to the people of Zimbabwe. Your generosity during this dark time will not be forgotten,” tweeted President Mnangagwa.

That is exactly what we want to hear — what our Government is doing to ensure that life goes back to normal.

Already, and as has been repeated over and over, Government has set a budget of US$100 million for the procurement of 20 million Covid-19 vaccines to inoculate about 10 million people countrywide.

Government has also made it clear that the rollout will be transparent and that frontline workers be first in line to access Covid-19 vaccines.

The vulnerable and those living with co-morbidities will also be among the first to access the vaccine.

In a statement on the vaccination programme on the Ministry of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Twitter account, Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister Monica Mutsvangwa said Government will dispatch a plane to China by tomorrow to collect the 200 000 Sinopharm Covid-19 vaccine doses donated by the Chinese government.

Is Mahere saying Sinopharm is not safe? Has it not been successful in China? Has China’s response to the pandemic not been the best among superpowers?

In any case, the Centre of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has said vaccines in themselves do not offer 100 percent protection and members of the public will still be expected to wear masks, social distance and wash their hands regularly.

The National Vaccine Deployment Framework has also been finalised and its objective is to achieve population immunity.

Population immunity, once achieved, will see life going back to normal.