How could my quality of life change if I get the vaccine?

Health experts have encouraged citizens to get the Covid-19 vaccine, saying it will help ease some of the tight restrictions on socialising and travel.

To date more than 23 million vaccines have been administered in SA, with 10,930 jabs given in the past 24 hours.

Speaking about how the vaccine will help teenagers, general medical practitioner Dr Sheri Fanaroff claimed the more people get vaccinated, the more restrictions can be eased.

 “Once more adolescents have been vaccinated there will be less need to wear masks and socially distance in small groups. In larger crowds, where it is less certain who is vaccinated, masks will still be recommended while the pandemic continues until a higher proportion of the population is immune,” she wrote.

She said those who are vaccinated will have freedom to travel to other countries and attend sporting events.

In September President Cyril Ramaphosa said the health department was looking at ways to introduce a vaccine passport.

“We will be providing further information on an approach for vaccine passports which can be used as evidence of vaccination for various purposes and events so people are able to demonstrate they’ve been vaccinated. The department of health is looking at mechanisms in other countries to do it electronically through cellphones or other forms of demonstration,” Ramaphosa said at the time.

This comes as some leading universities in the country have passed proposals that all students on campus be vaccinated, or regularly take a Covid-19 test at their own expense. 

Fanaroff said some schools, cultural and sports clubs may follow suit, making it difficult for unvaccinated teens to participate.

“I’d like to point out that vaccines for measles and meningitis, hepatitis for medical students and others, have for many years been compulsory for children attending schools so this is not a new concept.”