RA, COUNCIL CEO RELUCTANT TO TAKE JAB

SITEKI – Lubombo Regional Administrator (RA) Themba Msibi and Siteki Town Council Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Sithembile Simelane were yesterday reluctant to take a jab of the COVID-19 vaccine.

This was after workshop facilitator Musa Zwane announced that it was time for the inoculation of the COVID-19 vaccine on the Lubombo Region’s senior personnel. The Lubombo Regional COVID-19 committee comprising over 20 members was yesterday orientated on the vaccination programme of the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine. The event took place at the Siteki Town Council Hall. Present were Lubombo RA Msibi, Siteki Town Council CEO Simelane, Lubombo Regional Secretary JaneSimelane, Lubombo Regional Officer Thandi Mtsetfwa and senior Lubombo regional health officials and nursing staff.

Questions

At first, Msibi, during the question and answer session, asked the facilitator about the vaccine’s maximum potent in terms of efficacy as per his presentation and if people were well educated about it following the widespread myths about it. However, Msibi clarified that he would take the injection on Friday during the chiefs’ orientation on the vaccine. “It is not that I am afraid to take the shot but will do it on Friday and in front of the chiefs who are in my age group as here, I only see young people. I have to lead by example and be the first to take the shot in front of the chiefs,” he said, even though he left before senior nurse, Lindiwe Masango took her first jab.

Msibi had also enquired about the vaccine’s efficacy and if the ministry considered people’s reluctance in terms of getting vaccinated. “I will take the vaccine once the Johnson & Johnson is available and we are told that it will arrive in June,” he said in jest. He further enquired if government had already set up the facilities to store the vaccine. “We gathered that it requires storage facilities of -20 degrees Celsius. Has government procured the fridges in readiness for the vaccine storage?” he asked. Responding, Zwane said government was on the verge of acquiring three big refridgerators to accommodate the vaccine upon its arrival. “The World Bank has funded us in ensuring that we have that facility in place,” he said.

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