Vaccination certificate opens up a world of opportunities
There’s a new hotticket item available in South Africa. It is citizens’ passport to a world of opportunities, including travel and sports and recreational events. Obtaining it is free and the process is easy.
More good news is that to qualify to receive it, you simply have to take advantage of another priceless offer – free added protection for you and your loved ones, plus the bonus of assisting in South Africa’s economic recovery.
Of course, I am talking about the COVID-19 Vaccination Certificate – a digital offering that when in the possession of the majority of South Africans, will be a powerful tool.
I urge you to ensure you are fully vaccinated – one Johnson & Johnson or two Pfizer doses – so that you can access your certificate.
Let South Africa’s public service, which has played such a meaningful role in the nation’s efforts to defeat the virus, once again be at the forefront of the next chapter of our COVID-19 journey.
In the lull experienced after the passing of the third wave, government – and our dedicated vaccination teams – did not relax. Instead, efforts to get as many people as possible vaccinated in the shortest time possible were intensified.
This was done with one goal in mind – minimising the number of casualties that the expected fourth wave is expected to claim and, simultaneously, racing to offset more economic devastation.
The vaccination certificate will be instrumental in putting our economy on a more stable footing, because it is the ticket to rebuilding our tourism sector.
In 2018, pre-COVID-19, the direct contribution of the tourism sector to GDP was R130 billion and constituted nearly 3% direct contribution to GDP.
The Department of Health and the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research must be lauded for the development of a certificate that, within days of its launch, had already been recognised by the United Kingdom. More security features will be added to the certificate, including digital signature technology.
Public servants now have a responsibility to encourage people, be they colleagues, family members, friends or members of the public, to download their certificates.
This goes hand in hand with encouraging people to vaccinate – not through bullying and intimidation, but by listening to their fears and providing fact-based responses, or – when practical obstacles have prevented people from vaccinating – by doing what you can to assist.
If you are still on the vaccination fence, or want to spread the vaccination message, data coming from hospitals is irrefutable. Only a small percentage of people being admitted to intensive care units with COVID-19 complications are vaccinated.
Remember to keep on sanitising, social distancing and avoiding overcrowded gatherings, especially those that happen indoors.
Together, we will triumph!