WITH lockdown restrictions eased, the weather becoming warmer and, with it, the COVID-19 threat apparently dying down, we are once again being reminded of how short  people’s memories are. 

It is heartening to note that a statistic of zero deaths a day is sometimes now being recorded.

Life seems to be getting back to normal with a corresponding level of relaxation.

Vaccination daily figures which, at the peak of the Third Wave, had at one time reached over 100 000, have suddenly taken a knock.

But wait a minute!

Haven’t we experienced this before? 

Remember the lull last year before the outburst of the deadly Second Wave during December/January:And the explosion of an even deadlier Third Wave in June this year?

The ominous possibility of a Fourth Wave can never be ruled out and, to offset its possible impact, the solution is vaccination.

This has scientifically been proven to be the safest way to tame this menace. 

In countries where vaccination has been carried out intensively, life is slowly and surely coming back to normal.

Those who watch English Premier League football games can testify.

Here we have to salute our Government, which has defied the illegal sanctions albatross hanging around the country’s neck.

This is a country which has used its own resources to raise money to source the necessary vaccines without relying on aid or donor support.

Thus, it is remarkable that Zimbabwe is among the 13 top African countries whose, even before the end of September, vaccination role-out has reached more than 10 percent of its population.

The over 13 percent of the total population who have been fully vaccinated compares favourably with the best on the continent.

There is, therefore, every reason to believe that the 10 million target to reach herd immunity could be reached  by year end.

But the sharp decline in the number of those seeking the free jab is cause for concern.

This is the ideal time to be inoculated, for the jab will ensure that any virus attack will be neutralised by a boosted immune system.

Statics show that of those who have succumbed to COVID-19, over 90 percent had not been vaccinated.

A distinctly possible Fourth Wave is likely to be more lethal, if we go by previous patterns.

And yet there are those who, through ignorance or some funny theory about kudira jecha, must not be allowed to be a menace to innocent people. 

That is why we fully support the Government’s move to order all its workers to be vaccinated or risk losing their jobs.

With the backing of science, this is the right thing to do.

Why should those who, for dubious reasons, want to endanger not only their own lives, but those of others also be allowed to do so ?

It is pleasing to note that other institutions are also making vaccination mandatory for their employees.

Such a condition should definitely include frontline workers like soldiers, religious leaders, journalists, the police, teachers, eligible students, universities and, of course, our courageous health workers, among others.

There are those who want to hide behind a finger by claiming human rights protection to escape the jab.

OK Zimbabwe and Tel One are said to have placed unvaccinated employees on unpaid leave.

While human rights must, whenever possible, be respected, these should never be allowed to infringe on the  rights of others.

By refusing to be vaccinated, one would be infringing on other peoples’ right to life.

There are some who might like to try to avoid the jab by forging vaccination cards.

The law should be ruthless with such dangerous criminals.

But remember the clarion call is for all those eligible to be vaccinated now.