President Hage Geingob has expressed disappointment in Namibians who want to be begged to get vaccinated, an action which is self-beneficial and should be considered in the greater interest of mitigating the further spread of COVID-19 collectively.
“The problem with Namibians is they like to cry foul, something in your own interest, somebody must beg you. Why must I beg you to get vaccinated for your own safety and the safety of the nation? Why must I chase you around and people are dying?” Geingob fumed at the 39th COVID-19 public briefing here on Thursday.
The Head of State stressed that Namibians continue to die from COVID-19 and statistics are made available publicly to show the solemnity of the virus, however, citizens remain hesitant and the coverage of fully vaccinated populations remains concernedly low.
Vaccinations, he continued saying, are the most effective measure to mitigate severe illness and death from infections and is Namibia’s best chance to kick-start economic recovery, hence it is time for Namibians to collectively rebuild the economy and communities that have been devastated by COVID-19.
“People are dying. It is not propaganda; we are burying our loved ones. What more do Namibians want as proof to be convinced? Yes, it is your right, but we are saying let us get vaccinated for the common good for yourself and the country. People are dying, it is not a joke,” the president said.
He further noted that with the outbreak of the Omicron variant Namibia will not be safe as a nation and as a global community until all citizens are safe, noting that combating the virus is a huge undertaking that will require human effort, diligence and compliance to overcome.
“As we embark upon a new year, we also need a critical re-evaluation of our hearts, minds and actions to rid ourselves of behaviour that may be undermining our efforts of defeating COVID-19. Let us also desist from spreading harmful and unscientific disinformation, which undermines the government’s efforts to protect lives and livelihoods,” he said.
Source: The Namibian Press Agency
