Zimbabwe students receive COVID vaccinations

Zimbabwe has started vaccinating students at institutions of higher learning, weeks after commencing the inoculation of university staff members that included lecturers and vice-chancellors.

The country started vaccinating frontline workers in February after receiving donated vaccines from China and India.

It has since procured more vaccines from China, and President Emmerson Mnangagwa recently announced that other vaccines, from Russia, India and the United Kingdom, were also on their way.

With a population of about 15 million people, Zimbabwe is targeting the vaccination of 60% of the population to reach herd immunity. Vaccination is free and voluntary.

Zimbabwe National Students Union spokesperson Donald Marevanhema told University World News that, while some students have already been vaccinated, others – like himself – have adopted a wait-and-see attitude due to questions on the efficacy of the vaccines.

“There are a number of students who have gone to be vaccinated. Some are saying they have not had any side effects.

“Some who went for vaccination say they got scholarships to study abroad and, as a precautionary measure, they decided to go for vaccination as they are afraid that, when they leave for their studies, they may be told that only vaccinated students are eligible,” he said.

Some students questioned the efficacy of, especially, the donated Chinese vaccine, Marevanhema said.

To counter the scepticism, Zimbabwean Vice President and Health Minister, Constantino Chiwenga, is among those who have publicly declared that they would be vaccinated.

So far, there have been no reports of major side effects since the programme started in the country.

Lupane State University marketing and communications director Zwelithini Dhlamini said the university welcomed the government’s vaccination programme, describing it as “progressive”.

He said some Lupane students have already been vaccinated through private initiatives, and the university was making arrangements to ensure that health teams come for the exercise soon.

Dhlamini said the university’s staff members, lecturers included, were vaccinated on 22 March, and were set to receive their second jab sometime this week.

“Vaccination is a progressive move that we have to embrace as an institution,” Dhlamini said.

“As an institution, we embrace the exercise. Being mindful that the government has said this is a voluntary exercise, we will encourage those who are reluctant to be vaccinated because this is the way to go as it will boost our immunity.”

On March 31, the 21-nation regional group COMESA said its Early Warning mechanism puts Zimbabwe in fourth position for vaccination rollout. Nine COMESA member states had received and started rolling out COVID-19 vaccines.

The data indicates that Rwanda has administered the highest number of doses so far, followed by Malawi, Seychelles, Zimbabwe, Kenya, Uganda, Mauritius, Egypt and Tunisia.