National Paralympic team coach Michael Hamukwaya says local Paralympic athletes decided to get vaccinated against COVID-19 to avoid death, hospitalisation or competing for oxygen, which has been in short supply, due to the deadly pandemic.

Hamukwaya made these remarks on Friday after the team got their first Sinopharm jab in Windhoek.

He said that the team has realised that the virus has hit the country very hard and brought the sport fraternity to its knees in the absence of contact sports.

This, Hamukwaya said, has caused havoc in many households, and as such, as athletes with significant following, they can act as ambassadors and help the government in spreading the message and encouraging people to get vaccinated.

“This vaccination is needed because it is important for us to avoid hospitalisation and looking around for oxygen and finally end up avoiding death. So this is just a precaution measure that can help, and am encouraging every Namibian to get vaccinated so that we can go back to our old ways of doing things and open up the country like other parts of the world,” said Hamukwaya.

Team captain Johannes Nambala feels protected against the virus and says he feels motivated to perform well at the upcoming Paralympic games.

The athletes are set to represent Namibia at the 2020 Tokyo Paralympic Games scheduled for 24 August to 05 September 2021 in Tokyo, Japan.

Team Namibia is expected to leave the country on 18 August. Namibia will be represented by Johannes Nambala, Ananias Shikongo and Lahja Ishitile.

They will be accompanied by their guides Sam Shimanda and Even Tjivu and coaches Michael Hamukwaya and Letu Hamola.

Source: Namibia Press Agency