Ohangwena governor denounces vaccine conspiracies

TUYEIMO HAIDULAOSHAKATIOhangwena regional health director John Hango says Namibians should stop spreading conspiracy theories around the vaccine and has urged that they go out in numbers to get vaccinated.Hango said the region has so far vaccinated 5 463 of which 2 747 received their AstraZeneca shot and 2 716 received their Sinopharm shot. Off that figure 1 168 have been fully vaccinated. He said the spreading of rumours around the vaccine should stop as having everyone vaccinate is the only way the country can reach herd immunity and have things returning to normalcy slowly but surely.Hango encouraged people to go for their vaccination, saying that vaccination will protect people from contracting the virus, or if they happen to contract it, it will minimise their chances of them ending up hospitalised or dead. “Until now there are many people who believe in the conspiracy theory, people who believe that the vaccine will cause them harm more than good. This is experienced among all people, educated and not educated especially among the age group below 50. Let us please listen to people who have knowledge on the matter and avoid unconfirmed social media messages,” Hango said.He said vaccine rollout in Ohangwena started in April and is done at all three district hospitals from Monday to Friday.He further stated that 38 people have died in the region so far as a result of Covid-19, while 90 healthcare workers were infected with the virus to date. And the region has cumulatively recorded 1 665 Covid-19 cases, with only 82 active cases currently. Just stop itHango noted that cases are increasing day by day despite social mobilisation. He said people are not adhering to the regulations put in place by the health ministry."There are also outreach teams that visit clinics, secondary schools with hostels and police offices. A plan is also underway to identify specific points in the community where outreach teams will visit to vaccinate people," he said.Hango expressed concern that many people continue to wear their masks wrongly, sanitation is not adequately applied nor do people not have their own sanitisers and social distancing is not adhered to. "Social events are still ongoing, especially bereavements. You will still find so many people camping despite the education being given to them. It is difficult to break this culture," he said. "This has been proven by the country’s daily Covid-19 update that mostly all the death cases reported have a remark ‘Not vaccinated’. This should encourage us all to go and be vaccinated," he said.Hango stressed that experts are needed to explain and help people to understand the value of the available vaccines.- tuyeimo@namibiansun.com

Ohangwena governor denounces vaccine conspiracies

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Namibian Sun 2025-07-01

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Ohangwena governor denounces vaccine conspiracies

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Namibian Sun 2025-07-01

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