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Sukulwenkosi Dube-Matutu, Matabeleland South Bureau Chief
TEENAGERS and adolescents have been urged to get vaccinated for Covid-19 following concerns from health personnel that the younger generation is lagging behind.
The country is on high alert following reports of new Covid-19 omicron virus that has hit neighbouring Botswana. Tight screening, testing and processing of individuals who will be getting into the country during the festive season have been initiated at all ports of entry.
Authorities in the neighbouring country last week said scientists are still studying the new variants to determine whether or not they are deadlier than the previous ones.
At the beginning of December, Zimbabwe launched a fresh drive to vaccinate more people against the killer virus.
Speaking recently during a Gwanda District Covid-19 task force meeting, Gwanda district nursing officer, Mrs Filter Sibanda said few adolescents have come forward to get vaccinated. She appealed to various stakeholders to engage the youths to get jabbed.
Mrs Sibanda said the vaccination of young people will help the district to achieve its target.
“We still have a huge gap when it comes to the 12 to 15-year olds as we are supposed to be on the lookout for those who have just turned 12 so they can get vaccinated. We have a huge challenge when it comes to adolescents as they are not forthcoming when it comes to getting vaccinated,” she said.
“They are a sensitive group that needs to be handled tactfully. We need all the support we can get from various stakeholders working with this group to motivate them to get vaccinated.”
She said 66 percent of the population in the district have received the first dose, 75 percent, the second while only nine percent have received the third dose.
Mrs Sibanda said most people have not come for their third doses.
“Some people who received two does now think that the third dose is not necessary. People should be on the alert since the pandemic is still there, and the district had started recording cases over the past few months,” she said.
Mrs Sibanda said the district started recording positive cases from October after going for several months without recording cases.
“People are no longer coming to get vaccinated yet we have not reached our target. While vaccines are readily available in all our vaccination points across the district, the turnout is low,” she said.
Mrs Sibanda noted that some people are still holding onto the myths surrounding the vaccines.
“We continue to urge people to get vaccinated against Covid-19. We are still far from reaching our target, which can only be achieved if people get vaccinated. The cases that are being recorded daily might have gone down but the pandemic is still there and people have to take it upon themselves to ensure they are protected,” she said.
Mrs Sibanda said in addition to mobile vaccination exercise by the Government, they also conducted door to door vaccination which has helped to reach out to more people.
She urged members of the Covid-19 taskforce committee to continue educating people on the need to get fully vaccinated against Covid-19. – @DubeMatutu
Online Reporter