ALTHOUGH the government has eased the health restrictions throughout the country for the next month due to the reduced cases of Covid-19, it is imperative that people do not throw caution to the wind.
They must be mindful that the threat of Covid-19 is still real and need to always keep and observe the five golden rules of the health guidelines.
But even as the life returns to the “old normal,” Covid-19 is still lurking and nothing should be taken for granted.
It is in this vein that Government must be commended for re-launching the Covid-19 vaccination programme.
It is a stark reminder that no one is safe yet when the country has not yet reached herd immunity.
President Hakainde Hichilema said the government is targeting to vaccinate at least 70 percent of the eligible population in an effort to achieve sufficient herd immunity against Covid-19.
Mr Hichilema said this yesterday when he officiated at the relaunch of the Covid vaccine campaign at the Olympic Youth Development Centre in Lusaka.
That the President has personally taken it upon himself to spearhead the vaccination drive is commendable and we hope the public will not disappoint him by not turning out in droves to get the jab.
With warnings of the fourth wave coming in the next few months, it is important that the nation is not found on the wrong footing, unprepared.
Indeed, who can forget the devastating impact of the third wave on the country’s health care system as hospitals bed space run out, including vital oxygen supplies.
We saw reports for example about patients in some countries being turned away at hospitals because they were full.
Even funeral undertakers were overwhelmed as they run out of burial space.
As Mr Hichilema reminded yesterday, the third wave, overwhelmed the country’s health system which saw hospitals running out of bed space, oxygen, medications, personnel protective equipment and human resources.
He said mass vaccination of citizens is the only way of preparing for a possible fourth wave and any future threats of the pandemic.
This is the more reason why we join the rest of the country in encouraging people to take it upon themselves and get vaccinated, not only for their own health but for the sake of their loved ones.
As the President said, there is urgent need to reinvigorate the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic, whose first, second and third waves have left an indelible mark on the socio-economic landscape of the country.
Mr Hichilema said the relaunch of the Covid-19 vaccination campaign is necessary, to raise awareness and create unprecedented demand for key interventions so as to save lives, livelihoods and the economy.
Just as a matter of interest, in the Western Cape in South Africa, one of the regions worst hit by Covid-19, vaccination could have prevented 70 percent of deaths, says its health department.
It said 70 percent of deaths among Covid-19 cases could have been prevented if the patients were fully vaccinated.
It added that 64 percent Covid-19 admissions could have been prevented if they were fully vaccinated.
This is the more reason why vaccination should not be taken lightly.
Vaccinations are allowing countries to ease internal restrictions like church gatherings for example.
At global level, most countries now insist that international visitors must be fully vaccinated to be allowed in.
Vaccine hesitancy must therefore not be entertained for only by vaccinating a large part of the population can Zambians expect to be part of the global community.
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