Deputy Minister of Information, Communication and Technology (MICT) Emma Theofelus said the country cannot afford to go on another lockdown due to the Covid-19 pandemic, as the country has lost so much during previous ones.

Theofelus made the remarks while launching the “Kick Covid-19 out of Namibia” campaign roadshow for the Erongo region, at Swakopmund on Wednesday.

She urged people to get vaccinated, saying: “We do not want to have a situation where we go back to lockdown and our businesses close down. We also do not want a situation where our people have to beg for an N.dollars 750 because they cannot trade and close down our borders, with no revenue from tourists. Most importantly we do not want to lose more than 150 people per day, due to Covid-19 and this is why we are continuously making efforts to bring the message closer to the people to use the tool at our disposal, which is the covid-19 vaccination.”

The deputy minister also urged people to steer away from spreading and believing false news about the vaccines as the government is focused on solving one thing and that is finding a medical weapon to fight Covid-19 which it has found.

The campaign organised by MICT in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and Social Services aims to mobilise and vaccinate between 150 000 to 400 000 individuals during the roadshow period which will go on until 10 December 2021.

During this period, high-level officials and agencies will be visiting vaccination sites for public mobilisation.

An attendee at the launch, Rico Goreseb on the sidelines of the event told Nampa that he wanted to join his wife and children who have already gotten their vaccines.

“I want to make sure that when I go home to my family who is in Otjiwarongo, we are all protected and that it is safe for them to be around me,” Goreseb noted.

Wendy Muhuura said she made the decision to get the vaccine because she wanted to protect herself and her two children from the virus and increase her chances of beating it if she happens to contract it.

Source: The Namibian Press Agency