The ManicaPost
WHILE getting vaccinated is entirely a personal choice, it is crucial to remember that the vaccine is much safer than getting infected with the virus and fighting for survival in the Intensive Care Unit.
Sometimes brutal honesty is all we need to survive. With a population of about two million people, approximately 60 percent of Manicaland is targeted for Covid-19 vaccination for the province to achieve herd immunity.
The same applies for the country’s population of 14 million.
But what exactly is herd immunity and how can we achieve it to stop the spread of Covid-19, especially as the threat of a third wave looms large?
According to health experts, herd immunity occurs when the bulk of the population is immune to an infectious disease, in this case Covid-19. This immunity provides indirect protection (that is herd immunity) to those who are not immune to the disease.
Therefore with 60 percent of the population vaccinated, Covid-19 will meet great resistance as most people will become immune, thereby slowing it down significantly.
When Covid-19 first started to spread towards the end of 2019, nobody was immune to it as this was a novel virus. Due to the lack of resistance, the virus quickly spread like a wild fire from China to every part of the world.
As of Wednesday, Zimbabwe’s cumulative cases of Covid-19 stood at 40 556, including 1 640 deaths and 37 075 recoveries. Locally, various measures have been put in place to stop the spread of the disease, including the ongoing localised lockdowns for Kariba, Hurungwe and Kwekwe.
Recently announced measures which came into effect on Monday have seen bars and restaurants only selling take-aways during limited hours to discourage physical interactions.
All sporting activities have also been put on hold as part of the new Covid-19 restrictions aimed at curtailing the spread of the virus.
Most importantly, Zimbabwe rolled out its free and voluntary Covid-19 vaccination programme in February and over a million people have already been vaccinated.
The total number of people vaccinated so far accounts for three percent of the population, which is significantly more than that of other nations. The programme seeks to reach 10 million citizens and achieve herd immunity and from the flawless progress made so far, this target is within reach.
According to statistics from the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Zimbabwe has procured more than 1.8 million doses -way ahead of any other country in Southern Africa.
Besides the 1.2 million Sinovac vaccines that have been purchased by the Government, Zimbabwe has received donations of 500 000 doses of the Sinopharm vaccine from the Chinese government, another 100 000 doses of Sinopharm from the Chinese military, and another 35 000 Covaxin doses from India.
Only last week, Zimbabwe received 25 000 doses of the Sputnik V vaccines, with 25 000 more expected soon. Zimbabwe is clearly among the handful of African countries that have rolled out the vaccination programme smoothly as a result of its good logistical capacities.
Initially met with mistrust and various conspiracy theories, people are now falling over each other as they rush to get vaccinated in Zimbabwe.
Even South African opposition leader and rabid critic of the Second Republic, Mr Julius Malema, is contemplating taking his Covid-19 vaccination in Zimbabwe as the country’s inoculation programme has proved to be flawless.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has said it is impressed by Zimbabwe’s transmission and prevention measures in containing the Covid-19 pandemic, which had resulted in a low level of infections and mortality.
The World Bank has also noted that despite a raft of challenges presented by Covid-19, Zimbabwe is poised to achieve economic growth through adaptations to the pandemic’s disruptions. It is how you handle yourself during times of distress that matters as any other time would be a stroll in the park.
