Windhoek [Namibia], May 22: Namibia is engulfed in the fifth wave of COVID-19 infections with more and more patients being admitted in the hospitals, Minister of Health and Social Services Kalumbi Shangula said Saturday.
Shangula said in a statement that the number of infections in the school environment and in the community is a matter of concern.
"We note with concern that patients who are admitted to ICU are those who are not vaccinated, he said.
According to a survey released recently, trust-related issues continue to drive COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy in Namibia, as many voice concerns about the safety and possible side effects of the vaccine.
Among citizens who say they are unlikely to get vaccinated, a majority are worried about getting a fake or counterfeit vaccine (23 percent); they don't think the vaccine is safe (14 percent); they don't trust the government to ensure that the vaccine is safe (12 percent); they fear that the vaccine may cause COVID-19 or bad side effects (7 percent); they don't trust the source of the vaccine (2 percent), or they think the vaccine was developed too quickly (2 percent), while others believe that God will protect them against COVID-19 (7 percent), the survey showed.
Source: Xinhua