SA divide on vaccines amid introduction of ‘vax’ policies

No vaccines has dominated discussions about inoculations. Here's a breakdown of the week's trending topic.

By / / Viral / 3 minutes of reading
sa vaccines

South Africa may be the world’s most unequal country but no more is Mzansi divided than on the subject of COVID-19 vaccines.

For the better part of 2020, vaccine hesitancy was at an all-time high. At a time when the global science community was still wrapping its head around understanding the immense complexities of the deadly coronavirus, fear-mongering was raging on social media.

Claims were made about billionaire Bill Gates’ intensions with his keen interest in Africa’s handling of the pandemic. Anti-lockdown protests, where groups believed the vaccine was part of an orchestrated plan to eradicate the world’s population, also broke out in South Africa.

Months later, with South Africa clawing out from a severe third wave — and possibly headed towards a fourth pandemic — the country’s vaccination drive has, yet again, been scuppered by unrest and confusion.

Vaccine policies divide SA

In a survey report published by the Human Sciences Research Council, it was found that while vaccine acceptance has increased, problems still exist.

“Amongst those that are hesitant about taking the Covid vaccine, concerns over side effects, concerns that the vaccine will be ineffective, and distrust of the vaccine and/or government are the most common self-reported explanations,” the study found.

Perhaps, mistrust in government escalated further when it was revealed earlier this week that Limpopo is toggling with the idea of reserving access to alcohol sales to citizens who’ve been vaccinated.

This announcement came a week after the Western Cape government made a similar claim. At the launch of the Athlone Stadium mass vaccination centre, Premier Alan Winde revealed that talks are ongoing in the Health MEC cluster of a possible restriction to night clubs and entertainment venues.

If talks go well, Winde revealed, then parties may only be reserved to those who’ve received the jab.

Whether this ‘vax’ policy and others like it will enacted as lockdown law in South Africa remains to be seen.

Social media reactions to ‘No Vaccine’ boycott

Of course, the government’s plans to subliminally alienate anti-vaxxers has been the subject of talk on social media, with the ‘No Vaccine’ hashtag used as a banner of the boycott.

For the most part, rhetoric on vaccinations has been divided between those arguing for inoculation and those against the jab.

Here were some of the reactions we picked out from the week’s trending topic: