Foreigners flock in for Zim covid jab

Zimbabwe is seeing a boost in vaccine tourism as foreign nationals have started arriving in the country to get vaccinated against Covid-19, for a fee.

Zimbabwe has so far authorised the use of four Covid-19 vaccines: China’s Sinopharm and Sinovac vaccines, Russia’s Sputnik V and Covaxin from India.

Sinopharm and Sinovac’s vaccines account for the bulk of shots given in Zimbabwe, which has so far inoculated 478,174 people.

Grant Evans, a local businessman in Zimbabwe, decided to bring over his extended SA family who are not yet eligible for Covid-19 vaccine in SA.

“The Covid-19 vaccine rollout is slow in SA, and my extended family in Cape Town needed to get vaccinated. We made a decision to bring them to Zimbabwe to get vaccinated. The private clinics in Zimbabwe are charging foreign nationals $70 for both jabs, we are happy to pay and it sounds reasonable,” said Evans.

The idea of vaccine tourism in Zimbabwe spiked a debate on social media with many people responding to a tweet to come to Zimbabwe to get inoculated.

@sharonmufaro posted: “Today I came across some tourists who came to Zimbabwe specifically to get vaccinated and they are happy to pay for the jab. To say I was amazed is an understatement.”

@Thatorale commented: “Limpopo and Zim are not that far apart. This sounds like a plan.”

@XNdimba tweeted: “Credit where it’s due. You guys clearly got this right. It’s highly politicised in SA — it’s an opposition party playground. They push conspiracies, calling them ‘ideology’.”
The move is at the backdrop of other regional countries who have continously closed the door to the public, citing various national phases, however in Zimbabwe the door is open to any willing.

Having faced strong resistance of less than a quarter of a million vaccinated so far, the government has been urging locals to take the jab but due to serious trust issues in Zimbabwe, there has been low uptake.

The government has relaxed the vaccinations waiting period allowing members of the public to jump the queue asband when they want the jab.

This has opened up a window of opportunity to other internationals who, find Zimbabwe conditions for vaccination laxed , and willing to pay for the preferred charges.