A couple of months back private companies like Discovery decided to make vaccinations mandatory for all its staff with some exceptions. It was the first such decision from a major company to occur in South Africa.
Now, with the new Omicron variant thrown into the mix and an international backlash against South Africa, should Cyril Ramaphosa and government push forward with compulsory vaccine mandates?
Adriaan Basson explores the possibility of vaccine mandates and makes the case for why it should be under some serious consideration in South Africa. (Subscribe to read)
“If South Africa considers mandatory vaccinations for its citizens, we won’t be the first country to do so. Last week, Austria became the first European nation to announce mandatory vaccinations for all its citizens from 1 February,” writes Basson.
Rob Rose shares Basson’s view and argues the best place to start with vaccine mandates is throughout the private sector in companies just like Discovery.
Rose cites Business Unity SA (Busa) CEO Cas Coovadia, who on Sunday evening said, “mandates are entirely in line with the obligation of companies to ensure a safe workplace for their staff.”
During his address to the nation on Sunday evening, Ramaphosa said government is exploring the possibility of introducing vaccine mandates and had formed a task team to advise him and his cabinet on what the way forward would look like.
It’s time to get tough on anti-vaxxers and aggressively kick start the vaccination drive, which has floundered in recent weeks.
Here’s a roundup of interesting opinions, analysis, and editorials:
JUSTICE MALALA | It is time our leaders lead and make vaccines mandatory – Sunday Times Daily (Register to read)
Prof Salim Abdool Karim: SA was ‘not caught with our pants down’, while hospital numbers continue to show unvaccinated at higher risk – Daily Maverick
Omicron: Instead of praising SA scientists, the world goes mad – The Citizen
NEVA MAKGETLA: We need to understand why vaccination got bogged down – Business Day (Subscribe to read)
Omicron is the new COVID kid on the block: five steps to avoid, ten to take immediately – The Conversation
DANIEL MALAN: Eskom needs an emphatic dose of business rescue – Business Day
