On Thursday November 4, my gorgeous wife and I had the privilege to attend the Special Spring Concert, hosted by the Johannesburg Philharmonic Orchestra (JPO) at the Linder Auditorium.
It was all thanks to the fact that we have both been vaccinated against Covid-19 that we could attend as access to the venue was restricted to those with proof of vaccination or a negative PCR test not older than 72 hours. There can be no gainsaying that the Covid-19 pandemic has had a devastating impact on multiple sectors including the sport, arts, culture and recreation and education sectors, which calls for an urgent return to normality.
According to education experts, the impact of disrupted education since the outbreak has been devastating, with pupils 75% to a full year behind where they should be.
Schools have had to introduce rotational attendance, sporadic school closures in adherence to lockdown regulations and days off for specific grades. This has resulted in school children losing 54% of learning time.
Added to the catastrophe, 750,000 pupils have reportedly dropped out of school over the past 18 months. Most of these children are from informal urban and rural settings, with household poverty a main feature of their lives. Experts also believe that there is no credible catch-up plan by the government and this may mean a lost generation.
According to Unicef's SA representative, Christine Muhigana, “The reality is that SA cannot afford to lose another learner or another hour of learning time. It is urgent that we get every child back into the classroom, safely, now.”
It can be added that being out of school exposes pupils to dangers such as violence and abuse and also leads to a reduction in the development of their social skills. Not all children can afford remote learning which offers a lifeline for some pupils.
The July riots which resulted in 140 schools being vandalised in KZN and Gauteng can be added to this toxic mix. This was on the back of 2,000 that were looted and damaged during the hard lockdown last year.
A return to normal schooling is what should propel our rulers and keep them awake at night. In its quest to keep every child in class, Unicef has pledged its support to the department of basic education (DBE) in the ongoing efforts to increase Covid-19 vaccination coverage in the education sector. In addition Unicef will continue improving access to handwashing facilities and hygiene promotion activities for all children.
Unicef and its partners will build on work that has already seen 400 handwashing stations installed in targeted schools that lack decent facilities. Against this backdrop, it was deeply concerning to read about the ACDP’s urgent court challenge to stop the roll-out of vaccines for children between 12 and 17.
Supported by Free the Children–Save the Nation, the Covid Care Alliance and the Caring Healthcare Workers Coalition, the application was made against minister of health Dr Joe Phaahla, acting DG Dr Nicholas Crisp and the SA Health Products Regulatory Authority (Sahpra).
In support of vaccination, the DA’s Khumo Ramulifho said that Covid had disrupted learning and teaching and that the vaccination of children would allow pupils to continue learning without disruption.
“Rotational learning is not effective and continues to create gaps between those who are from best-resourced schools and poorly resourced schools,” he argued.
On the other hand, there are those in the anti-vaccination or the vaccination-hesitant camp who believe that vaccination renders citizens as guinea pigs to experimental vaccine. They peddle their pseudo-science and conspiracy theories citing the constitution as their source. Section 12(2) of the SA Constitution, which states that everyone has the right to bodily and psychological integrity, which includes the right – (c) not to be subjected to medical or scientific experiments without their consent, is mentioned to buttress their argument. What they ignore to mention is that vaccination not only protects those who vaccinate against falling ill, but also from infecting others with the virus.
What they fail to tell their gullible adherents is that no deaths have resulted from Covid vaccinations whereas 89,220 deaths have resulted from Covid infections. Though not providing foolproof prevention against infection, vaccines protect people from serious illness and possible death.
They also reduce the intensity and impact and can prevent those infected ending up on ventilators and dying preventable deaths. According to scientists, vaccines create antibodies to fight the virus. In the event of infection, the body triggers an immune response and gives the infected person a fighting chance against the virus. With the intensity of the infection reduced, the possibility of death is minimised. The vaccine gives the body a head start to respond to the virus.
The vaccination of the majority of our population is a sine qua non for the return to normal social and economic activity. The year 2022 should be earmarked as the time when pupils get back to the classroom without any learning interruption. This is not the time to vacillate but the time to vaccinate.
As for the music concert, “fireworks” is the only word to describe it. My lovely wife and I look forward to the next Covid-19-free instalment by the JPO at the imposing Linder Auditorium.
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.