Premier receives booster shot
Premier Chupu Mathabatha led by example and received his vaccine booster shot at the Pietersburg Provincial Hospital on February 2.
The public is urged to continue to get vaccinated and those who have already received the jab to go for the booster shot six months after being vaccinated.
This would be the third vaccine shot for those who were vaccinated with the Pfizer vaccine and the second shot for those who were vaccinated with the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.
“We are pleading with you. It’s for your good health and it’s for the good health of your family and everybody next to you. Please let’s fight this pandemic and we can only do that if we take the vaccine seriously,” he said.
Those who have surpassed the six-month period since their last vaccine are eligible for a vaccine booster shot to continue to protect their immune system. The MEC for Health Dr Phophi Ramathuba explained that there is now a better understanding of the Covid-19 virus, hence the country is going back into full operations, however, it is still important to get vaccinated and get the booster shot to prevent infection as much as possible.
“We are dealing with this virus like we are dealing with the flu whereby on an annual basis, we get a flu shot. We have not yet developed a vaccine which we can say is effective for a lifetime hence it is important to get the booster shot. Until such a time that we have a vaccine that can last a long time, every six months we need to get a immune booster,” she said.
Ramathuba further expressed concern over the decline in numbers of people coming forward to get vaccinated and attributed to the decline in infection and hospitalisation numbers.
“The reason why the numbers are low and people are not getting sick is because many received the vaccine. If you are still out there and you have not received the vaccine please do so,” she said.