NMU students come out for Covid-19 vaccination

GEORGE NEWS - Despite slight apprehension to take the Covid-19 vaccine, according to various polls, students at Nelson Mandela University George Campus are taking up the opportunity to get the jab after registration and walk-ins opened to the 18 to 34 age group.

At the NMU George's vaccination sites - which service staff and students - about 50 young people have been vaccinated since sites opened to this age group.

The vaccination site is part of an outreach agreement with the Harry Comay Hospital and operates every Tuesday from 09:00 until lunchtime.

"At present the Harry Comay has a daily target of vaccinating 200 students and we trust with the return of students from vacation, more will start coming out to get their Johnson and Johnson (J&J) vaccination jab," said Sr Althea Hawkins of Student Health Services.

"It has been great to see the turnout of students, especially since we got a sense that there wasn't a great appetite for vaccination from a recent survey we conducted. As students started returning from vacation, the campus roll-out and information campaign were immediately actioned. We hope to reach every student on and off campus who wishes to be vaccinated."

Some of the students who were vaccinated said in spite of a lot of conspiracy theories and the resultant fearmongering, getting the vaccine was their way of contributing to national herd immunity and a chance at returning to some semblance of normal life.

Tsundeni Madzunya, a business management lecturer who falls in the 18 to 34 age group, shared her thoughts and encouraged students to receive the jab. "Taking the vaccine was part of my civic duty to ensure that I play my part in protecting those around me. Herd immunity at this stage is our hope of going back to some form of normalcy," she said.

Visit https://vaccine.enroll.health.gov.za/ to register for the vaccine.

The team manning the vaccination hub at the NMU George campus.