Vaccine

1. Statement:
SolidaritystatementwithhealthworkersatGroote SchuurHospital
A misplacedanddisrespectful call toattenda “Freedomof Choice:NotoMandatory VaccinationRally”
at Groote Schuurthisweekendiscirculatingonsocial media.
It ismisplacedbecause SouthAfricadoesnothave amandatoryvaccine policy.
It isdisrespectfulbecause healthworkersrisktheirlivestosave ours,andthe leastwe can do is to
ensure theyare not harassedandantagonizedatwork.
It isrootedin a previousanti-maskanti-vaxx marchheldinCape Townrecently.The posterhasno
organisers’detailsandusesapicture froma march whichcalledthe vaccine “the devil’swork”.
Vaccinesare safe,effective andfree foreveryone inSouthAfrica.Gettingvaccinatedisasimple and
voluntarystepeveryadultcantake to preventhospitalsfrombeingoverburdenedbypatientswith
severe COVID-19.
The WHO, SAHPRA,SAMA,HPCSA,faithgroups,communityleaders,NGOs,andbusinessgroupsall
supportthe vaccine rollout.
Healthworkershave beenatthe forefrontof treatingpatientswithCOVID-19whocome to hospitals
fightingfortheirlives.Theyshouldbe respected,protectedandsupported.
The nurses,doctors,porters,foodworkers,labtechnicians,securityguards,cleaners,andadministrative
workersat Groote Schuur andelsewhereworkundertoughconditions:longhours,exposure toCOVID-
19, makingsure patients’lovedonesare updatedabouttheirconditions,seeingtheircolleaguesgetsick
and sometimespass away,andsadly,contactingfamiliestoletthemknow theirlovedoneshave passed
on.
Nevertheless,theyshow upeverydaytodotheirlife-savingwork.
Under currentGovernmentregulationsitisnotlegal tospreadmisinformationaboutCOVID-19.To
implythatmandatoryvaccinationispolicyinSouthAfricaisinaccurate.We all have the right to freedom
of speech,butthatrightis limitedbythe obligationtoensure we donotdoharm to othermembersof
our community.
Scaringpeople withuntruthsandfalse claimsdoesharmtothe COVID-19vaccine rollout.Itdestroysthe
morale of healthworkerswhobearthe bruntof the pain,exhaustionanddespairtheyencounterwhen

2. tryingto preventCOVID-19deaths.
We call on the national governmentnottoallow massmarchesand ralliesoutsidehealthfacilitiesif
designedtointimidate,asthismayundermine theirfunctioning.Thisso-calledgatheringcouldprotest
outside the WCgovernmentOfficesorsomewhere elsebutchoosesahospital atthe frontline thatis
not makinggovernmentpolicy.
We call on the publictoshowsolidaritywithhealthworkersandgetvaccinated.Thisdecreasestheir
burdenof work.In particular,we call on everyone toensure the eldersandpersonswithcomorbidities
inour communitiesgetvaccinated,astheyare mostat riskof severe disease anddyingfromCOVID-19.
We call on governmenttomake publicthe advice ithasreceivedonmandatoryvaccinationfromthe
MAC or any otheradvice onvaccinationto increase transparencyanddecrease uncertaintyaroundthis
issue.
Issuedby:
People’sHealthMovementSouthAfricaandHealthJustice Initiative
Spokesperson:Tinashe Njanji
Position&Organisation:Coordinator - People’sHealthMovementSouthAfrica(PHM-SA)
Contact number:081 571 5809
20 August2021