Call for vaccine info to be available in all languages

The Pan South African Language Board (PanSALB) called on government to ensure that all Covid-19 information is made available in all official languages.

This is in pursuance of its mandate to monitor the Use of Official Languages Act.

PanSALB acting CEO, Nikiwe Matebula, said as the country prepared to dispense its first consignment of the Covid-19 vaccine, it was important for information to be made available in languages that people understood.

“Never has the importance of the use of language been more pertinent than it is right now. We have witnessed government constantly attempt to stave off conspiracy theories and misinformation on the Covid-19 vaccine.

“Therefore, it is particularly critical that information on the vaccine be made available in all our official languages to ensure that our people can make informed decisions,” said Matebula.

Matebula said the promotion and preservation of languages had to be a collective effort.

“We therefore call upon government to heed this call and all South Africans to support the Language Activism Month campaign through various means available at their disposal, such as the support of African writers and the use of mother tongue,” she said.

The call made by PanSALB coincides with the Language Activism month campaign which is celebrated annually during February in commemoration of the International Mother Language Day (IMLD) held annually on 21 February.

READ MORE:  VIDEO: Here Are the Biggest Myths About COVID-19 Variants

This comes as the first batch of one million vaccine doses arrived in South Africa from India on Monday.

Health minister Dr Zweli Mkhize announced during a briefing on Wednesday that after the arrival of the vaccines, they would undergo some technical quality assurance and reconciliation necessary for their safe distribution.

“These processes will take a minimum of 10 days and a maximum of 14 days to complete, upon which we will be ready to distribute the vaccines to all provinces.”

The Department of Health said an electronic vaccine data system would be used to plan, execute and monitor vaccinations.

This system will coordinate facility accreditation, the supply of vaccines, pre-booking for vaccination and recording the vaccination and other relevant information.

National health laboratory service professor Koleka Mlisana believed that since the country was not among the first to receive vaccines, it gave the health sector time to monitor any side effects.

Mlisana also addressed some misinformation about the vaccine circulating on social media.

“There is no microchip or tracking device of any kind in any of the vaccines. All vaccine ingredients were declared to the regulating body.

“Vaccines will also not alter one’s DNA.”

Listen to some of the health researchers speaking about the vaccines: https://sacoronavirus.co.za/category/listen-to-the-experts/

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