Informal traders welcome vaccination decentralisation
Providence Moyo
BULAWAYO- Government has this week, rolled out a mass vaccination exercise for informal traders in Bulawayo. The exercise is in keeping with the upsurge in demand for the vaccines across the country amid rising cases of infection and deaths.
To achieve herd immunity, Bulawayo must inoculate no less than 400 000. The response from vendors and informal traders has been quite overwhelming as long winding queues have become a feature at designated vaccination centers, giving rise to fears of viral spreading due to lack of social distancing in the queues.
Vendors stationed at various markets across the city which are yet to be visited by the vaccination teams said they could not wait to get their vaccines.A vendor from Nketa 9 who identified herself as NaNtando said she is ready to receive her first jab because of the convenience afforded to vendors by government.
“It’s not like I did not want to get vaccinated but the prospect of spending the whole day queuing for the vaccine at overcrowded local clinics was too much to bear, but now that the they are bringing the vaccine to my vending space I will definitely get my first jab,” she said.
Austin Nkomo, a vendor operating from Kondron supermarket was profuse in his praise of the government for the decentralization of vaccine centres. He disclosed that the centralised vaccine centres were a deterrent that had stopped him from getting vaccinated.
“I don’t know about my other colleagues but personally, I applaud this move as it shows that our sector is getting deserved recognition in the country,” he added.
The curtain comes down on the 10-day vaccination program for informal traders in Bulawayo on the 15th of July 2021.
While addressing the media last week, the Minister of Defence, Oppah Muchinguri, who chairs the Covid-19 taskforce, said Government had procured two million more vaccines to ensure that there is consistency in the roll out programme as she highlighted that the demand for vaccines is ever-rising in the country. Minister Muchinguri applauded the response in the civil service and revealed that almost 90% of the security sector has been vaccinated.
“I would say almost 90% of our security and defence forces are now vaccinated. We are pleased by the response from that sector. As it is right now, the demand is outweighing the supply. I think more people realise that there are more benefits to accrue when you are vaccinated,” she said.
The Minister also highlited that government will prioritise people living in border towns such as Victoria Falls, Beitbridge, Plumtree, Kazungula, Kariba, Chirundu, Nyamapanda and Mutare in its mass vaccination programme. Meanwhile the country expects to reach herd immunity by October.
