Churches strongly advocate for vaccination

Religion has been one of the barriers to mass vaccination against Covid and a major reason behind vaccine hesitancy among believers.

The Religious Forum Against Covid-19 yesterday launched the #VaxuMzansi national campaign in Phoenix, KwaZulu-Natal, aimed at addressing vaccine hesitancy and building pillars of support for the vaccine in religious circles.

According to the South African Council of Churches, the campaign was rooted on the premise of being a positive change agent, with the goal to get at least 70% people in their congregations and communities vaccinated.

The council’s Bishop Malusi Mpumlwana said forum against Covid, which was convened earlier this year, continued in its advocacy work against the scourge of Covid.

Mpumlwana said the campaign would allow the use of religious infrastructure as vaccination sites in partnership with the national department of health and other commercial partners.

Already, vaccine teams are working at places like Grace Bible Church in Soweto and the Methodist Church in Mitchell’s Plain, among others.