All Required to Get Jabs at Vaccination Centres
BY BARNABAS MANEBONA
There is no special ‘vaccination treatment’ for school Teachers and students as everyone is required to get their jabs at required centers.
The Ministry of Education and Human Resources Development (MEHRD) Permanent Secretary (PS) Dr. Franco Rodie clarified this when queried if there are any arrangements for schools to get their jabs in more isolated areas, apart from crowded vaccination sites.
Understanding the need for schools to start academic classes this year being delayed by the current Coronavirus (COVID-19) community transmission situation in the country is why such query is raised on behalf of concerned parents.
However, according to PS Dr. Rodie, it must be understood that the Vaccination Program is the sole responsibility of the Ministry of Health and Medical Services (MHMS) and that MEHRD merely collaborates by encouraging teachers and students to receive vaccination.
“There is no special treatment that I know of for school teachers and students, they are all required to call at the vaccination centres to have their jabs,” said Dr. Rodie.
“Do understand that the Vaccination Program against the Covid-19 is the sole responsibility of the Ministry of Health and Medical Services. The Ministry of Education and Human Resources Development merely collaborate with MHMS by encouraging and reminding teachers and school students especially parents to have their legible children receive their vaccinations at the designated locations where the vaccinations are administered.
“It would be ideal to organise a special vaccination centre for teachers and students just like for different communities as the MHMS is currently doing. But know too well that the national vaccination program against covid-19 for all of us started way back in 2021.
“There was more than ample time for teachers to get vaccinated but as far as I know not all teachers made an effort to take advantage of the opportunity procentersy the MHMS.
“Now everybody is rushing to have their vaccinations and the medical workers capacity is stretched.
“A good number of the health workers, we are told have even contracted the disease caused by Coronavirus and this has affected the capacity required to fast track the vaccination program, and now query is asking to increase the capacity to extend the vaccination program to teachers and school students. It is a desirable suggest [suggestion] but I do not see logic to this call when there are gaps.
“As for the school students between the age of 12 and 18, the Pfizer vaccination rollout program started in December 2021 and has continued at the present time. One has to appreciate the very fact that the MHMS is the sole authority who has decided on how it goes about the vaccination roll-out program for the students, teachers and citizens and not MEHRD.”
School Teachers and students between ages 12 to 18 throughout the country were also reminded early this week by Mr James Bosamata the Deputy Secretary (DS) for MEHRD to get their Coronavirus (Covid-19) Vaccination.
The call came with reasoning that there is already the much talked about Coronavirus transmission in the country.
