Zimbabwe’s Victoria Falls, the “Adventure Capital of Africa” has become the first city in Southern Africa to achieve herd immunity following vaccination of 77 percent of residents in the ongoing countrywide mass inoculation against COVID-19.
Herd immunity is achieved when most of a population is immune to an infectious disease. This provides indirect protection to those who are not immune to the disease.
Government rolled out mass vaccination of ordinary residents in Victoria Falls city last month as it intensified efforts to achieve a 60 percent herd immunity of the population in the country’s tourism capital.
President Mnangagwa chose to receive his first dose of the Sinovac vaccine in the resort city at Victoria Falls Hospital last month when he also launched the country’s second phase of the national vaccination programme, to set the tone for what has turned the city into a pacesetter in the country, region and beyond.
About 19,243 people, being 10,472 males and 8,771 females had received their first jab when the second round started on Tuesday last week against a target of 25 000 residents.
The city has an estimated population of 40 000, up from 33 000 recorded at the last census in 2012. Health experts and players in the tourism industry have said this asserts Victoria Falls as the world’s safest tourism destination and first city to achieve herd immunity in Southern Africa.
Credit goes to overwhelming response by residents and commitment by health workers and other stakeholders who embraced vaccination despite negativity from some sections of the society.
Posting on his official Twitter page yesterday, President Mnangagwa also commended the achievement saying 77 percent of Victoria Falls citizens had received their second jab.
“Victoria Falls has now achieved herd immunity. Last month I received my first COVID-19 vaccine in Victoria Falls. I am immensely proud that over 77 percent of the city’s inhabitants have received their second jab. Thank you to all the health officials who have made this possible,” said President Mnangagwa.
Some of the citizens who responded to the President’s tweet, said Zimbabwe has everything to be proud of as the first nation to vaccinate its citizens while others said this will open up the city to international travellers.
Even some international tourists were reportedly inquiring if they could be allowed to visit Zimbabwe for the purposes of getting the dose, which Environment, Climate, Tourism and Hospitality Industry Minister Nqobizitha Mangaliso Ndlovu recently said needed consultation at Government level. Health experts have said no tourist has been vaccinated as there are no vaccines set aside for foreigners.
In separate interviews, health and tourism authorities said herd immunity is the tonic Victoria Falls needed in the wake of devastating COVID-19 and successive lockdowns. Matabeleland North Provincial Medical Director Dr Munekai Padingani said herd immunity in Victoria Falls means low risk for the destination as chances of spread of infection will be limited.
“Our target was to vaccinate 25 000 people and as of Tuesday last week when the second dose started, more than 19 000 had received their first dose. We are vaccinating people on a daily basis as we don’t turn any eligible person away and some are still getting the first dose hence figures will keep changing.
“This means we are going to reduce transmission in Victoria Falls but we are not saying let’s stop wearing masks and practising social distancing among other regulations. This is a tourism destination and we will continue with infection control measures but we are assured that the majority will not be infected, and since everyone who comes into the country should have negative PCR certificate, these means that tourists will know they are coming to a very safe place,” said Dr Padingani.
He said herd immunity means that if a few citizens are not vaccinated in a majority of inoculated people, the virus will not be transmitted because for transmission to take place a person has to be sick, which will not be the case after achieving herd immunity.
Hospitality Association of Zimbabwe Victoria Falls chapter chair Mr Anald Musonza commended residents for taking the lead saying this will spur revival of inbound tourism to destination Zimbabwe and Victoria Falls. He appealed to Government to complement the achievement by reopening inland borders since a majority of the country’s tourists come by road.
“That Victoria Falls has achieved herd immunity is a welcome development for our tourism capital of Southern Africa. This is an encouraging development which shows how united we are as a people and destination but we would want our business to be revived hence we are expecting that tourists start coming through in big numbers because it is the only way we can resume business,” he said.
“We are all excited here in Victoria Falls that the community has embraced the vaccination and we have achieved herd immunity. We are hoping this revives the tourism and downstream industry so people can earn a living as we have been out of business for a long time. This will also give knowledge to the whole world that Victoria Falls is safe.”
“As operators we are also appealing to Central Government to reopen land borders so we can have more people coming through and allow access across various tourist destinations in Zimbabwe.”
Mr Musonza said most regional tourists use land borders like Victoria Falls and Kazungula which are closed thereby affecting the self-drive market.
He said the industry anticipates a quick decision to reopen the borders soon so that the return of business can be quicker and for better occupancies in the second half of the year coinciding with the normal peak season.
Government is targeting to attain 60 percent herd immunity of the country’s population as it seeks to break the COVID-19 cycle and revive the economy.
