COSATU reiterate its call for South Africans to vaccinate and receive their booster shots
20 April 2022
The Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) is deeply concerned by the low and declining levels of vaccination the number of people who continue to lose their lives due to COVID-19. According to the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) there were 1,475 new cases of COVID-19 and 14 deaths in the last 24 hours
The Federation reiterates its call for workers and South Africans in general to vaccinate. Vaccines have been proven by the best international scientific and medical research in South Africa and internationally to be highly effective in drastically lowering infection, transmission, serious illness, hospitalisation, and death rates. Vaccinating two thirds of persons over the age of 50 years and the most at risk, has helped to save thousands of lives.
Vaccines on their own will not defeat Covid-19 but they are a key weapon in the fight against this deadly pandemic. Vaccines are complementary to the other key interventions like wearing masks, sanitising, screening, and social distancing.
Progress was made in rolling out the vaccines in 2020 with over 4000 vaccine sites set up across the country. Initial vaccination rates were positive with over 200 000 people vaccinating daily and large economic sectors and workplaces achieved impressive vaccination rates