Unvaccinated healthcare workers pose a risk to patients have been vaccinated and still end up in hospital, and they pose a risk of transmitting the virus to them.
This is according to Wits University professor of vaccinology, Shabir Madhi.
In recent weeks there have been debates on whether vaccines should be compulsory or not.
South Africa has administered over 14 million doses in total, but there are people who are still hesitant or refuse to get the vaccination. The National Health Department has stressed that the vaccines used in the country are safe.
‘We vaccinate people not to harm them but to prevent them ending up in hospital and developing severe disease and dying and that’s the focus of vaccination, said Mahdi. He said that when it came to healthcare workers, it was important to look at the policy of mandatory vaccinations.
‘It’s not just about their own protection… people that are vaccinated are less likely to transmit in the households, they’re less likely to develop COVID and more important for us, to uphold our oath and that is the protection of our patient.’