COVID 19 Vaccinations for the Front Liners has begun at Sidilega

The government released a statement that citizens who are to be vaccinated first are the elderly, people living with chronic diseases and frontline workers. Amongst frontline workers are people who work in health facilities. Sidilega Private Hospital being a health facility itself was given 600 doses of the vaccine by the government of Botswana to be given to all of its employees. The vaccine is set to rollout in such a way that the employees that directly work with patients will be injected first, followed by non-clinical staff. On Friday the 7th of May Sidilega began vaccinating its staff with a rollout of approximately 20 vaccines per day.

The CEO –Dr Suresh Menon led by an example as the captain of the hospital by being the first one to get the jab! This really gave assurance and courage to staff to also see the need to be vaccinated.

A counselling session is offered to individual staff members prior to being vaccinated, during counselling the staff members are advised that the vaccine is intended to reduce chances of infection and at the unfortunate event that the virus does infect a vaccinated patient then the burden of the symptoms will not be as severe. During vaccination the staff is encouraged to continue following covid 19 protocols of prevention. They are also told of the various possible side effects of the vaccine which are expected, these side effects include headache, fatigue, joint pains, body chills, pain, fever and nausea (sometimes accompanied by vomiting), and advised that should the side effects be too much to bare then they should seek immediate medical attention. Since vaccination started only a few have reported minor side effects like headache and fever.

The vaccine is not given to a staff member that is actively sick. One of the speculations regarding covid 19 was that people who have had covid 19 do not need vaccination, this is a false statement and every patient who has had covid 19 before is encouraged to take the vaccine regardless; 6 months after initial infection as the risks surrounding possible reinfection rise, said the Infection Prevention Specialist Ms K. Moloko.

The vaccination schedule is such that the second dose of the vaccine is taken 6 weeks after to boost immune system.