Anti-vaccination movements have been prominent across South Africa since the initial vaccine rollout began in December 2020. Have you ever wondered why? Professionals in the field of medicine explain why some people are more hesitant than others to be vaccinated against Covid-19.
“Vaccine hesitancy has been around since 1798 when Edward Jenner invented the cowpox vaccine against smallpox,” says Professor Rose Burnett, head of the South African Vaccination and Immunisation Centre at the Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences at the University of Pretoria.
On 11 March 2020 the World Health Organisation (WHO) declared Covid-19 as a global pandemic. PHOTO: Jana Scheepers
“In those days, the anti-vaccine movement called vaccinations ‘unnatural’ and ‘ungodly’, and spread misinformation about vaccinated people growing the body parts of cows, because that is where the vaccine derived from,” explains Burnett.
In its infancy, vaccine technology was rudimentary, and as a result caused severe health problems. Therefore, vaccine hesitancy at the time was well-founded, says Burnett in an email to MatieMedia.
These sentiments, however, paved the way towards several anti-vaccine movements, like the Covid-19 anti-vaccine movement prominent today, she adds.
“Vaccine hesitancy has been around since 1798 when Edward Jenner invented the cowpox vaccine against smallpox.” This is according to Professor Rose Burnett, head of the South African Vaccination and Immunisation Centre at the Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences at the University of Pretoria. PHOTO: Jana Scheepers
The A to Z of vaccinations
On 11 March 2020 the World Health Organisation (WHO) announced Covid-19 as a global pandemic after the first cases were detected in Wuhan, China during December 2019. As of 31 August 2021, reported Covid-19 infections exceeded 216 million cases worldwide, and over 2 million are in South Africa (SA), according to WHO data. Over 4 million deaths have also been reported worldwide, with more than 82 000 of those in SA.
The three-phase mass vaccine rollout plan in SA commenced in late May 2021, reports Veronica Ueckermann, an adjunct professor of medicine at the University of Pretoria, in The Conversation. Since then, nearly 12 million vaccines have been administered nationally, including both the single Johnson and Johnson inoculation, and either of the two-phase Pfizer vaccinations, according to the Covid-19 online resource and news portal.
Coinciding with the vaccine rollouts, anti-vaccine opinions have gained momentum worldwide, extending into SA. Within this movement, anti-vaxxers speak out against the Covid-19 vaccine.
But why is this the case?
Stellenbosch residents queuing outside the Lentelus vaccination site. PHOTO: Jana Scheepers
In 2019, prior to the outbreak of Covid-19, the WHO identified vaccine hesitancy as one of the top 10 threats to global health in 2019, due to a lack of vaccine education. Education of vaccinology will cause an increase in vaccine trustworthiness, which will limit anti-vaccination movements, the WHO stated at the time.
Different vaccines work in slightly different ways, but all of them train your immune system to identify and neutralise disease-causing microorganisms without exposure to the actual virus or bacteria, according to Burnett.
By exposing the immune system to a pathogen (in this case Covid-19), it learns how to mount a response against it, says professor Wolfgang Preiser, head of the division medical virology in the faculty of medicine health sciences at Stellenbosch University.
“When the pathogen is later encountered, the immune cells will ‘remember’ and mount a response almost immediately,” he explains.
Herd immunity is important to curb the spread of any virus, and specifically Covid-19 in this case, notes both Burnett and Preiser.
However, herd immunity appears difficult to achieve in SA at this stage, as “SA does not seem to be on track” with Covid-19 vaccinations, says Burnett. The 67% vaccine target to reach herd immunity at the end of 2021, set out by the Department of Health, will likely not materialise, she adds.
The emergence of new Covid-19 variants further exacerbates the spread of the virus, increases the urgency to administer vaccines, and undermines the herd immunity from within the vaccinated population of SA, according to an article by Shabir Madi in the Medical Science Journal.
South Africa is currently in its third phase of the vaccine rollout plan, as citizens between the age of 18 and 34 can register for vaccination. PHOTO: Jana Scheepers
Reasons driving anti-vaxxers
Vaccine hesitancy and anti-vaxxers are two distinct groups, according to Burnett.
“The vast majority of vaccine hesitant people globally are, in fact, not anti-vaxxers, and we need to differentiate between the two. Unfortunately, anti-vaxxers from all over the world (many of whom are also Covid-19 deniers) are spreading misinformation through messages and videos on social media, some of which are truly frightening,” Burnett says.
As a result, many South Africans have become concerned, and are now vaccine hesitant, because they become susceptible to believing the misinformation, Burnett explains.
A recent survey released by the University of Johannesburg, and the Human Sciences Research Council, reports that vaccine hesitancy has decreased to 28% in SA from 2020. This is according to Professor Hannelie Meyer, chairperson of the South African Vaccination and Immunisation Centre.
A bright Covid-19 vaccination campaign banner boasting opposite the train station outside the R310. PHOTO: Jana Scheepers
Victims of misinformation
“Health-related misinformation that is spread over social media, poses a threat to public health,” says David Broniatowski in an article published in the American Journal of Public Health.
These misconceptions are what anti-vaxxers fall victim to as well, and as a result also become “a source of fake news,” explains Preiser.
This misinformation usually builds on pre-existing fears, such as comorbidities, continues Preiser. A lack of information on vaccines, or religious reasons, could also play a role.
It is important to have empathy for people who are misinformed, says Burnett.
“Some of the anti-vaxxers that are spreading misinformation are medical professionals, and it is well established that vaccination-related advice from healthcare providers has the greatest influence on vaccination decisions made by the public,” she adds.
“People should greatly help with conveying the correct information by flooding social media with positive messages about vaccination,” Burnett says.