The development of the COVID-19 virus vaccine is indeed among the most significant medical breakthroughs of this generation globally. We have as an international community observed high levels of dynamism in how governments, the health sector, local and international organizations, and communities have responded to the scourge of the pandemic in the past year.
Like many other countries, South Africa has been significantly affected by the surge of the pandemic, with the potential of a third wave posing major challenges to both the economy and the country’s health system. The reality that South Africa is a middle-income country, with grotesque inequality further complexifies the response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Beyond this, it is important to note that there exists in the global discourse, political economy discussions around the idea of a just approach to managing the spread of the virus and its impact on lives and livelihoods. These discussions have certainly highlighted the reality that class contradictions continue to fuel development politics, this being so, it is critically important that there is consensus on the necessity of access to vaccines as an immediate measure to dealing with the spread of the virus, but also as an important basis upon which a more just approach to global health can be founded.
Medical practitioners and other scientists have since the outbreak of the virus been working tirelessly to develop the COVID-19 vaccine. In global pandemics such as this one, vaccines play a very important role as they offer better options for health systems to manage the spread of disease, and as a result, manage the impact of such on the economy and preserve lives.
While other measures for the management of the spread of infectious diseases of this nature exist, for instance, social distancing, wearing masks, etc. the reality is that vaccines offer the best response to the spread of virus-like COVID-19. Evidence of the effect of vaccines has been seen in the previous treatment of diseases such as polio, measles, Hepatitis, and others, it is thus important to recognize that the emergence of the COVID-19 vaccine is not a misnomer but takes place in an already existing of vaccine epidemiology.
Given this background, it is important to acknowledge the significant strides that have been made, particularly regarding securing the vaccine for approximately 1,2 million people in South Africa for the initial phase of the COVID-19 vaccine rollout. There are however some understandable reservations that have been expressed from members of society around the vaccine. Some of the myths around the vaccine include; that the vaccine has the potential to change human DNA & control human activity, or that the vaccine itself will be used to spread the COVID-19 virus. In an era of deliberate miscommunication and misrepresentation of facts, the task to adequately communicate facts with the intention to create awareness and educate society is of utmost importance, and debunking myths is a core tool against misinformation.
As responsible citizens of the country, taking a stance that debunks COVID-19 vaccine myths and encouraging support of the Department of Health’s efforts to end the pandemic should be considered the highest service to the nation in the times of this monstrous pandemic. In an attempt to debunk some of these myths, we must emphasize the fact that the vaccine does not have the ability to change our DNA, but rather that it has the ability to strengthen the immune system’s response to the virus once injected into the body. Like any other medication, the vaccine does not have the capacity to control human beings but is necessary to fight the effects that the virus would have on people.
Also, it is critical that we deal with the medical reality of the virus from a scientific point of view. In the history of viruses, vaccines have played an important role in preventing and managing the control of a virus and its spread in a population. Given this and the reality of the era that we live in, there exists the capacity to more quickly develop and improve vaccines to deal with outbreaks of this proportion.
Given the reality of a strained health system, the vaccine also offers an opportunity to not only manage COVID-19 cases but also create a context where countries such as South Africa especially are able to concentrate on the greater task of strengthening the healthcare system; improving access to quality healthcare for all. With this task at hand, leaders of society across sectors must work together to educate and equip communities about the virus and the efforts that have been put in order to manage it such as the vaccine.
The status quo of deaths and infections cannot be left unattended. Health workers and their families must be protected from this virus at all costs. It is therefore our view that segments of society rally behind the leadership of the country in its attempts to deal with the pandemic in the best possible way. The successful implementation of the vaccine rollout rests on collaboration between the government, our communities, and partners against the COVID-19 virus, more importantly, this will also serve as an opportunity to better understand and administer the just transition to universal healthcare for all.
Dr. Bandile iS a member of the ANC Gauteng Executive Committee and Former Gauteng MEC for Health
“Given the reality of a strained health system, the vaccine also offers an opportunity to not only manage COVID-19 cases but also create a context where countries such as South Africa especially are able to concentrate on the greater task of strengthening the healthcare system; improving access to quality healthcare for all.”
“In global pandemics such as this one, vaccines play a very important role as they offer better options for health systems to manage the spread of disease, and as a result, manage the impact of such on the economy and preserve lives. “