By Raffique Shah
March 22, 2021
It took a global pandemic that has, in one short year, claimed 2.7 million lives, infected 123 million people in 221 countries, to expose man for what he really is—a beast in human form.
For all his posturing on being civilised, on cooperation in the battle against the Covid-19 virus through agencies such as the World Health Organisation and the United Nations, when several vaccines were finally developed, tried and approved, the wealthiest, most powerful nations simply trampled on the poor, grabbed all they could without shame, pity or any kind of emotion that is supposed to distinguish man from beast.
A recent Al Jazeera report quoted data from an anti-poverty group ONE that said it is likely that no one from poorer countries will be vaccinated this year. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said last Wednesday that 10 countries had administered 75 percent of all vaccinations thus far, calling it ‘wildly uneven and unfair’. France’s Emmanuel Macron and Germany’s Angela Merkel indicated they will share part of their vaccine stockpiles with poorer countries, and Britain’s Boris Johnson said he was prepared to ‘give away hundreds of millions of spare vaccine doses’ to the developing world—once all adults in the UK have been inoculated.
The USA, under new President Joseph Biden, has been administering an average of two million doses per day in March: if we in TT did that, it would mean the entire adult population vaccinated in one day. In fact, the Covid-19 team that is led by Dr Roshan Parasram, has a plan in place that will see a smooth inoculation programme, once the vaccines arrive here. Dr Parasram and Health Minister Terrence Deyalsingh have assured the nation that the locations at which the vaccines will be available to the wider population have already been identified and are fully prepared. Among the installations is a new one-million-doses refrigerated facility at the Couva hospital.
The missing element in the preparatory equation is, of course, the vaccines. It is not as if the Government did not fulfill its obligation to the populace in that regard. From way back when, they have spoken of having paid up and entered the WHO-PAHO-COVAX arrangement that was set up by the regional and international agencies to cater for poorer and smaller countries that could be trampled when the rush for vaccinations began. They were guaranteed their initial allocations, according to what they told us. That was, I believe, 20 per cent of our overall needs, which should be just over 200,000 doses. I may have the actual numbers wrong.
In the meantime, as the vaccines were developed and put through trials to meet globally-accepted standards, all of Caricom, and, I imagine, other Caribbean and Latin American countries, kept the faith and closely monitored progress from the manufacturers. There was nothing more they could do, except keep the pandemic under control in their respective countries.
By the time Pfizer and AstraZeneca got their approvals in December/January, there was little cause for concern among the poor, small nations across the world. Or so we thought. After all, this was a global pandemic, and except for variations in the extent to which the mal-effects of the virus struck us, we expected an orderly system of production and distribution of the vaccines.
That, apparently, was not what was happening on the ground. The ‘civilised’ wealthy countries in both North and South that were also powerful, shoved aside the weak and the meek, grabbed everything they could, much the way looters do during riots and disasters, made off with the loot, and left countries like ours breathing the foul air they had left in their wake.
Great expectations were shattered. Inequity, which I have repeatedly written about in this space, and which is currently engaging the attention of most nation-states as they seek to rewrite the Social Contract, has imprinted its ugly face at a time when humanity faces crises that will test our humaneness to its full extent.
Man can easily turn into beast over this travesty that is global in reach. Because among the victims are huge, populous nations spread across the world that may not have the financial or military prowess to demand justice, but can otherwise return the ‘favour’.
China has a vaccine that it has successfully sold to a number of countries—Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, the UAE, Brazil and Chile. Cuba, which has a good reputation in medicine, is about to roll out its contribution. Also, Uncle Vlad in Moscow has his vaccine.
Hey, if WHO and PAHO, two supposedly respected world agencies, cannot fulfil their commitments to countries like ours, why should we remain anchored in such alliances, or in the OAS? Of what use are they? Covid may cause us to re-examine all our existing regional and global alliances.
The Prime Minister said the Government could not procure vaccines because the policy of the Government was to engage with manufacturers only when the vaccines became WHO-certified. The Health Minister did not exercise common sense or foresight when he dithered, failing to anticipate the certification of vaccines and neglecting to pre order vaccines. Relying on the Covax vaccines only showed a lack of planning which characterizes the standard, incompetent operating mode of this entire government This article is misleading. Over 72 poorer countries, many in the Caribbean, were supplied with vaccines from the largest Astra Zeneca plant in the world in India. Developed, richer countries used their own medical research to create their own vaccines. Do you expect them to neglect their own citizens to facilitate T&T, a country which seems to be preoccupied with the cost only? Then, you have a PM who will not “beg” India, but is willing to beg China and America, offensively describing the Caribbean as an extension of the USA. Meanwhile, his counterpart, Mottley in Barbados skillfully, diplomatically and brilliantly negotiated with Modi to seek the best interest of her citizens, anticipated the certification of the Astra Zeneca and even procured vaccines for several Caribbean countries, T&T included. And what do we have in T&T? People like Shah blaming others for the incompetence of his government. The worst is yet to come because the government of T&T has failed on all fronts in dealing with this crisis, from poorly conceived regulations, locking out their citizens, abandoning the economy, failing to procure vaccines and a Health Minister who is primarily interested in arrogant boasting and chest thumping.
Definitely, Mr Shah countries like ours should exit the OAS it is a sham only used to over through governments the US don`t like and it`s inherent bullying. Clearly there is no benefit to be had by being part of the OAS. Now is the moment of truth we should build a stronger alliance with Cuba and China engage more with the African Union and like a former US defense secretary said ” countries don`t have friends we have interest” we have to clearly state what are our interest are and collaborate with countries that can help us achieve this in the shortest possible time. Also we should be wary of the UK now that they have left the E.U. they will want to and have already started their form of bullying along the old colonial lines. Alas their time is up though, as they slowly drift into irrelevance.
“Hey, if WHO and PAHO, two supposedly respected world agencies, cannot fulfil their commitments to countries like ours, why should we remain anchored in such alliances, or in the OAS? Of what use are they? Covid may cause us to re-examine all our existing regional and global alliances.” Raffique Shah.
On point.
“China has a vaccine that it has successfully sold to a number of countries—Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, the UAE, Brazil and Chile. Cuba, which has a good reputation in medicine, is about to roll out its contribution. Also, Uncle Vlad in Moscow has his vaccine.” Shah
The Chinese vaccine is very effective amongst black folks hence Rowley conversation with the Chinese President. He will only use the Chinese vaccine. Amongst other races it does poorly there are 73 adverse reactions to the Chinese vaccine. https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/en/news/4098913
The Pizfer vaccine alters DNA. It causes swelling, dizziness etc. And Pizfer is making all kinds of demands on nations for the costliest vaccine. They not cheap like the $4 vaccine from India.
The only effective and well tested vaccine so far is the one from India that Rowley is not prepared to “beg” for and claim he did not know.
Look at the cross section of people this vaccine has been tested on. The Chinese vaccine is shrouded in secrecy.
March 22nd 2021
“The large AstraZeneca U.S. Phase III trial published on Monday found the COVID-19 vaccine to be 79 per cent effective in preventing symptomatic illness and 100 per cent effective against severe disease and hospitalization.
The vaccine was temporarily suspended in certain European countries after reports of it causing blood clots, but the U.S. study found there were no safety issues regarding blood clots in the diverse group of participants.
Run by experts at Columbia University and the University of Rochester, over 32,000 volunteers from the U.S., Chile and Peru took part in the trial.
The trial also found the vaccine works well to protect elderly people against COVID-19, with an efficacy rate of 80 per cent. Some countries initially decided to not to authorize the vaccine because of the lack of evidence it works for patients over the age of 65.”
As I have stated elsewhere, my brief on this blog is Scriptural. Those who are allergic to scriptural quotes are kindly asked to ignore ALL of my contributions.
It is in Scripture that may be found what makes sense of the entire march of the human story. Covid-19 is part of that march, and one of the plagues prophesied to occur in these end-times. It is a vanity to think that a man-made vaccine would make a difference to the Judgment and Redemption that are unfolding, and of which the plague of Covid-19 is a part.
Let me give, one, the Scriptural take on the matter. And two, let me make a few remarks about the Science of the Covid vaccines. Let everyone make up their own mind.
As for me, I rely on the cover provided by The Most High (TMH): Psalms 91:7. “A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee.” No other protection is necessary against this plague, for those that fear TMH, keep His Commandments, and the Faith of the Redeemer, Iyeshua, and the cover provided by His atoning sacrifice; Revelation 14:12.
As to the Science of these “vaccines”, my take is as follows: They are none of them vaccines in the original sense of that term. Rather they are instruments of genetic engineering. The original idea of “vaccine” is indeed efficacious and mostly harmless. The body has its own defense mechanisms by which it may effectively fight off bacterial and viral infections. Its defense mechanisms may be inadequate against a new infection with which it is not familiar, and if the bacterial/viral infection is sufficiently massive, the response mounted by the body’s defense mechanisms may be inadequate, leading to death. The idea of a “vaccine” is to inoculate the body with a weakened dose of the virus/bacteria in question, allowing the body’s defense mechanisms to produce the “antibodies”, by which any future infection of the virus/bacteria in question may be quickly identified, allowing the body to mount an effective immune response. Thus, the original idea of the vaccine was to trigger the body’s own natural response to a low-dose or neutered-dose infection of the bacterial or viral culprit sought to be defended against. That worked well for smallpox, polio, yellow fever, and other such diseases.
The Covid vaccines are not so. None of them. All of them work at the level of DNA/RNA, and involve more than just utilizing the body’s own immunological response that it may be fortified in case of future attack. All of them involve genetic engineering, gene splicing of one form or another, and the introduction of new genetic programming information into the functioning of the body’s DNA cells. These are ways to make of the body a genetically-modified-organism (GMO). Just as they can take a tomato and introduce a gene splice from a cockroach to make a thicker, hardier skin, producing a new GMO tomato, the covid “vaccines” involve making the person into a GMO that is hopefully resistant to Covid infection. Yes, but your very DNA would have been modified in the process. And btw, you would have had to be a cannibal in the process, because aborted-fetus tissue is part of the genetic engineering involved. There are various videos making the rounds on social media. Do your own research, e.g. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GOq8-FR8s1E for a start.
As to the Scriptural take, we are now coming to the end of Year 6006 since Adam’s creation in the Garden. We are at the head of the 7-th Millennium prophesied in Scripture. This is the time for the Judgment and the Redemption both. As TMH exercised Judgment upon Pharaoh in ancient times, at the same time that He redeemed His people, the children of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob — the Israelites — from captivity in Egypt, here again, at the head of the 7th Millennium, TMH is rendering Judgment on “that nation”, at the same time that He is lifting up His people, notably the Negro, who have suffered and endured 400 years of captivity.
Genesis 15:13-14. “And he said unto Abram, Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs, and shall serve them; and they shall afflict them four hundred years;
14 And also that nation, whom they shall serve, will I judge: and afterward shall they come out with great substance.
Note the reference to the captivity, to Judgment, and to Redemption (coming out with great substance). This mirrors the first Exodus of the Israelites from Egypt at the hand of Moses. Israel was put into captivity by Pharaoh. Pharaoh was judged. And Israel came out, indeed “with great substance”. Most of us know the story, told in the book of Exodus. The same is again happening. “That nation”, that is now being judged, can no more escape Judgment than could Pharaoh. We the Negro could no more escape captivity in modern times, than could our ancient forebears, who paid a price for selling their brother Joseph into captivity because of envy; Acts 7:9. We have served our time, and are now being raised back up, as should plainly be evident, and about to be redeemed, and to “come out with great substance”. The caveat is that the redemption pertains to a “righteous remnant”, and that we are commanded to “come out of her”:
Revelation 18:4. “And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.”
Yes, many of our people will succumb to Covid, or to one of the other plagues yet to be unleashed. Certainly. if you put your faith in GMO vaccinology, to that extent you become partaker of Babylon and her sins, and therefore subject to “receive of her plagues”. Some will indeed drop dead, merely from having taken the GMO vaccine, as indeed we have seen. In any case, if by His mercy, the vaccine takes, and a taker of the GMO jab becomes immune to Covid, more plagues are coming.
Amos 5:19. “As if a man did flee from a lion, and a bear met him; or went into the house, and leaned his hand on the wall, and a serpent bit him.”
You can’t flee from the Judgment of TMH. He can get you any which way He chooses. Pharaoh was subject to 10 plagues, before he consented to let Israel go. Even then, he chased after Israel with his chariots, and ended up drowned in the Red Sea. The Jesuits are offering US$100 million in reparations for their part in slavery, so there is already consciousness of sin on their part; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9729rjBowHU. A white pastor is saying it plainly that the Negro are the children of TMH, and those white parishioners that hate the Negro better shut their “white mouth”; see https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xgvocP18pe8 . The point: put your faith, not in “that nation” that is clearly now being judged, but in the One that is bringing Judgment.
Let each one carefully and prayerfully consider the matter, and reach their own decision.
Shalom.
Joshua 24:15. “And if it seem evil unto you to serve IYEHAWAH, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve IYEHAWAH. ”
P.S. What T&T, as a secular nation, ought to do, is yet another matter. But certainly, there is absolutely no need to bow down before any foreign power carrying stick and/or carrot of “vaccine diplomacy”.
Shah said: From way back when, they have spoken of having paid up and entered the WHO-PAHO-COVAX arrangement that was set up by the regional and international agencies to cater for poorer and smaller
What was it, $9.7m US?
I think Mr Shah could have better served us by telling the people that, Europe is having another lockdown again.. with all their vaccines..
Are we being ‘snake oiled’, Mr Shah?
Anyway, something happened in Africa (Tanzania) last week..
https://www.africanews.com/2021/01/27/president-magufuli-warns-tanzanians-against-covid-19-vaccines/
President Magufuli suddenly died..
https://www.africanews.com/2021/03/20/funeral-rites-begin-for-late-tanzanian-leader-john-magufuli/
Just heard Rowley cut a deal with Chinese for 100,000 of their unapproved vaccine. I think PNM supporters should be first in line for this vaccine. But we know they saying Caroni have Covid so we know where they intend to start.
The UNC need to mobilize their assets on the ground and have meetings in this regard. To inform the people in their constituencies of this mischief.
Whist Dee is waiting on Covax and his boss is blaming everyone except himself. Guyana with a much smaller population lead by an indo-Guyanese leader is moving ahead on vaccinating its adult population……they will be open for business much sooner.
https://newsroom.gy/2021/03/22/covid-19-vaccines-50000-of-russias-sputnik-v-100000-of-astrazencas-to-arrive-soon-health-minister/?fbclid=IwAR3gMtwBmv4hWuGN-cai4xkJ7pT-r-v3dDBLfBJZyiAHd1HyzX0B5rndBpM
Of course… russian agents were caught in guyana assissting the ppp in stealing the last election…Canada, US, Russia all has back door deals with the PPP to get OILfrom it’s Boom….guess who PAID for the US Lobby/Bribe firm?… UNC!
Traitors! T&T will never truly be sovereign with people of this mindset!
PPP hired lobbyist implicated in investigation into Russia’s involvement in 2016 US elections | Guyana Standard
https://www.guyanastandard.com/2019/04/16/ppp-hired-lobbyist-implicated-in-investigation-into-russias-involvement-in-2016-us-elections/
Allegations of Russian meddling surface – Guyana Chronicle
https://guyanachronicle.com/2020/03/06/allegations-of-russian-meddling-surface/
APNU+AFC accuses PPP/C of conspiring with foreign entities in 2020 General and Regional Elections
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rGBrYjRaYzs
PPP/C hires firm named in probe into Russia’s meddling in US elections – Guyana Chronicle
https://guyanachronicle.com/2019/04/16/ppp-c-hires-firm-named-in-probe-into-russias-meddling-in-us-elections/
Reject india’s vaccines!
The Hindutva indian government is obviously partial to the Hindutva boot licks UNC/COP.The indian high commissioner is promoting racist Hindutva Mohandas Gandhi in trinidad, as someone for african society to respect. Nothing is for free…they want to try what they tried in africa…they give “scholarships” to racist india, and then the government revoked the scholarships because african societies rejected gandhi’s statues from the indian government because he publicly hated on africans and volunteered for a fought with the british war against indigenous south africans. They want to bully and humiliate political opposition to hindutva rule via UNC and enslave the african population.
Organiser – India cancels scholarships of 2,000 Ghanaian students after students and faculty members pulled down the statue of Mahatma Gandhi
https://www.organiser.org/Encyc/2018/12/28/India-cancels-scholarships-of-Ghanaian-students-.html
INDIA’S VACCINE FOR TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO
https://newsday.co.tt/2021/03/22/indias-vaccine-for-tt/
Stop playing their game!
Yes! Reject India’s vaccines and die.
Inconvenient either you love India it’s all you seem to write about, or you just plain jealous of India. And it’s all good things you write about india. Hinduvta you obsess over that like it’s a dog knawing over a bone. In fact you are the spokesman on this board here on India, trying to bring its ideologies here.
Hindus/Indians have done a poor job of introducing Hinduvta to the Caribbean, maybe they don’t know about it or don’t care. But you certainly is the foremost authority on the caste system and all things Hindu. You behave like a lil boy who just discovers that babies actually come from women and not the stork. So you are eager to tell everyone.
India is not bothered if trinidad does not want its vaccine. India has given over 70 nations free vaccines. Nor is India bothered if some Africans like you think Gandhi was a hard core racist who invented apartheid to keep black people down (yawn). India offered Africans a lot of scholarships in Gandhi name. If they don’t want it not a problem. https://thepienews.com/news/indian-government-to-provide-15000-scholarships-for-african-students/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YwUnp_qg4M0
https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/india-extends-50-million-package-to-host-african-union-summit/articleshow/70186194.cms?from=mdr
India is now Africa’s third largest trading partner, accounting for 6.4 percent of African total trade for a total value of $62.6 billion in 2017-18. I thought you might enjoy some successes of Hinduvta in Africa.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ODS-dpHwgT0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=137C936ttrY
Interesting movie https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wJzCtDD-FDQ
The trouble is that this diplomat has clearly stepped out of diplomatic crease.
He seems from the press reports to be intriguing with the Opposition and local indo-Trini entities in a way apparently calculated to embarrass and/or destabilize the sitting Negro-led T&T Government.
The T&T Government therefore can no longer reasonably credit this diplomat with good faith and clean hands. At the least, he is diplomatically inept.
He ought to be declared persona non grata, and sent packing. If it comes to that, let India keep their vaccines. And let them keep their “vaccine diplomacy”.
T&T — indeed no sovereign nation, no matter how small — ought tolerate diplomatic disrespect. Not from India, or any other foreign power. There are reasons why there are rules of diplomacy by which all nations are bound, big and small alike. Those who violate those rules must be made to pay a price.
Shalom.
James 4:7. “…Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. ”
Resist him not, and he will make your life a living hell…
Do you know why the Minister of External Affairs made a special effort to meet with the Indian ambassador?
Revisit and retrace the events as they unfolded and you would realize that the Ambassador was insulted by the Prime Minister in his usual crude manner unbecoming of any PM.
Dr Amery Browne is a well bred individual who exercised his finesse to regularize the situation.
Mr. Yoruba, you are a learned, religious scholar who, if you knew the facts , would come to a different conclusion.
Diplomatic protocol is there for a reason.
Especially if a diplomat feels personally aggrieved, he must even moreso adhere strictly to diplomatic protocols. That does not include intriguing against the host-country government, or even merely appearing to do so.
The charge that Dr. Rowley made, that appeared in the newspapers, was that this High Commissioner was having discussions about vaccines with various locals, while keeping the Gov’t out of the loop, on matters that clearly the Gov’t had a right to know about. Nothing that His Excellency the High Commissioner has said has rebutted this serious charge. Therefore, in this dispute between the PM and the HC, I find tentatively very much in favor of the PM. I say “tentatively”, only because I do not claim full familiarity with all the details.
Dr. Amery Browne, representing his PM, and the Gov’t, are clearly trying to smooth over matters. I understand well why they would try to do so, considering the relative “power” of the parties concerned, and who stands to lose most.
Nevertheless, I stand by my position that our sovereign country should stand on diplomatic principle and protocol. The only question, given that this diplomat was clearly out of diplomatic crease, is what the Gov’t should do to signal its displeasure. The PM took to the media, at the same time he dispatched his Foreign Minister to smooth things over with the diplomat. That is a mistake in my view, though I’m very much on the outside, unfamiliar with all the facts. This is the kind of matter, I think, that calls for the expulsion of the offending diplomat. India could send a replacement, but the message would have been sent as to what the sovereign T&T government would NOT tolerate. Even as a matter of political calculation, which a PM is obliged to make, this would seem to me to be the best course. India is not the only source of Covid vaccine.
In any case, as I have been at pains to argue, we are now in a time of gradually intensifying plagues, and vaccines will not turn away the wrath of TMH.
Revelation 18:4-6. “And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.
5 For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities.
6 Reward her even as she rewarded you, and double unto her double according to her works: in the cup which she hath filled fill to her double.”
Dr. Rowley’s instinct — to his credit — is to stand firm and proud with backbone. Scripture validates and would uphold such a stance at this time, even though it may seem as though he would pay a political price for doing what his instinct would tell him to do.
I withhold my peace.
“The Prime Minister, in his capacity as Caricom chairman, who wrote to US President Joe Biden for WHO-approved vaccines. Days earlier, Dr Rowley said he had also written to UK and Canadian leaders, and Canada’s was “the only response I’ve had so far.” He also spoke to China’s President Xi Jinping, who reportedly made assurances, and said Caricom would approach the African Union.
In this context, the invocation of an aversion to “begging” with regard to India suggests Government was not truly open to all avenues of supply after all, even as our inoculation numbers fell way behind those of smaller neighbouring Caricom states.”
One wonders, why the aversion to “begging” India?
I am not sure what Mr. Shah is proposing. Does he expect the big countries he mentioned would give to other countries before their populations are vaccinated?? Would he expect that our country T&T to develop a vaccine that we would export to other countries before our citizens are fully vaccinated?? That is not real. No one would do that.
Of course we could complain but that is just for complaining sake, anything else is a waste of time and space.
Why would the government of any country have to rely on a private company to source and acquire vaccines for their citizens?
Why is T&T linked with the African vaccine platform for the acquisition of vaccines from the Covax facility?
Why did other Caricom countries ignore T&T and the head of Caricom, PM Rowley, in search of their own vaccine supplies?
https://theglobalamericans.org/2019/03/chinas-engagement-with-trinidad-and-tobago/
Trinidad and Tobago under Dr. Rowley is part of the China belt and road global initiative.
Rowley said he is not begging for vaccines like other Caribbean leaders. Truth is Rowley was late in asking India for vaccines and broke diplomatic protocol by attacking Sanu.
Then he had conversations with Chinese President Xi Jinping. In that conversation Rowley begged the Chinese President for the unapproved Sinopharma vaccine he managed to secure 100,000 of those… but Xi is a clever man who secured Trinidad and Tobago support for human rights oppression of the 2 million Uighur, the stamping out of the pro democracy movement in Hong Kong amongst other pro Chinese oppression.
When all else failed Dee on bended knees went begging the Sabgas to rescue the nation by getting some vaccines from the US. Rowley as Caricom head wrote a letter to President Biden begging him for vaccines…
Trinidad used to be the Caribbean leader, the economic powerhouse, but in 6 short years Rowley has made sweet TnT the laughing stock of the Caribbean. Deficit, borrowing and taxing with rising unemployment. Yes but PNMites are eating crackers and cheese whilst savouring the fat of the land. Great is the Pee n em.
TnT could get the Chinese vaccine sooner than later. He requested 100,000 from Xi Jinping. Africans are scared of the vaccine maybe Zimbabwe will send some TnT way if Rowley ask his African brethren. I think PNM supporters should be first to take the jab…
“Zimbabwe was one of the first African countries to receive vaccines for the virus, thanks to a donation from China five weeks ago. Today it has received 600,000 doses of two Chinese vaccines, Sinopharm and Sinovac. Yet it has managed to administer fewer than 59,000 of those doses so far, largely because of a lack of enthusiasm from the Zimbabwean people.
The vaccines are free, there are usually no age or occupation restrictions and the queues are often relatively short. It took only 15 minutes for people to be vaccinated at Wilkins Hospital on Friday. Yet people are still reluctant to take the jab.
Analysts say the slow acceptance of the Chinese vaccines in Zimbabwe is largely owing to a mistrust of the country’s authoritarian government, a lack of a concerted campaign to educate people about the benefits of vaccination and a widespread suspicion of corruption in China’s deals with the Zimbabwean government.
“It shows that millions of people here have no trust in the Chinese vaccine,” said Claris Madhuku, an activist who heads the Platform for Youth Development, a Zimbabwean civil society organization.“——