INCREASE INTAKE OF THE JAB; IT IS ALL IN THE COMMUNICATION

A young lady receiving COVID-19 vaccine jab. Photo credit: Christine "Tina" Ouma.

Summary

· Threats and intimidation only create the fear of the unknown and makes one to question the motives if it’s rather of good will.

· Proper communication drives out the fear and the misinformation amongst those hesitant for the jab.

We are through to the last month of the year, December. A month full of activities all geared towards a happy end year thus festivities. The month that will test your dependency to government services yet hesitant to listen to the government, taking a vaccine jab.

Yes, it is the month that all the government offices will be going through your COVID-19 vaccination certificate in order to be served. It does not matter your “burning issue” – what matters is the certificate and safety of government officials. That’s the ticket for service.

Ticket for service at the local airline, even SGR trains will have to check it before getting you to your destination and it will be considered more important than your fare ticket.

Some Kenyans are hesitant to get the jab due to their beliefs, stories they have heard about those who have got it while others just do not want to get the jab and feel they should not be forced to do so.

So many reasons have been shared both offline and online in the social media and the medics will term them as misinformation but it depends on the individual and where he or she will be seeking services.

The vaccine being linked to public services has called for the Kenyan office of the human rights lobby, Amnesty International, urging the government to use other ways to address the jab intake.

Actually, we cannot run out of ideas on how to make people see the need for a COVID-19 vaccine and then being able to communicate in a compelling enough fashion to the said people and this will increase the intake.

People need to be educated and the misinformation be replaced with proper information without threats and intimidations. Those who took the jab earlier should also act like ambassadors without transferring fear to those around you.

The communication should spread positively to every quarter in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic in the country. This is an important shot that should be accessed and its protection of an individual from the extreme effects of the COVID-19 disease thus reducing the need for hospitalization and subsequently the possibility of death.

Many lives have been lost before the invention of the vaccine and to try to live with the Corona Virus requires the jab. We lost our relatives, friends and others had to spend days in ICU wards fighting for life and only wishing for the vaccine to come earlier.

Apart from livelihoods lost, the economy was severely affected and lives disrupted for many and not for the better and no one, yes-no one, would love to experience the same especially being in ICU ward.

Social distancing is great, wearing masks is great too. But sometimes we forget ourselves and mingle much because we long for normalcy. Let’s owe responsibility to the other person to bring back normalcy.

Get the vaccine of your preference if you cannot trust the other but above all get the jab and spread the good news of vaccination to help ourselves and those around us because we need each other in this fantastic life and together we are conquerors.

The government that will be providing the services you need in their offices have made the efforts to get vaccines accessible to you and this only should be commended. It is the only service you’ll enjoy without the certificate and thereafter, get the certificate to get other services easily. The approximate 7 million people who have already got at least one dose of the vaccine, kudos and spread the good news of getting the jab before 21^st December since the government has a great plan - to have 27 million people fully vaccinated by next year.

Omicron Covid variant is also around the globe; be alert and take necessary and important action to protect yourself and those around you by getting the vaccine jab earlier.

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