The uptake of vaccines at the Nelson Mandela Academic Hospital in Mthatha remains low. The Eastern Cape health department confirmed on Monday that health workers were reluctant to be vaccinated due to the myths around it.

The uptake for the Johnson & Johnson coronavirus vaccine, rolled out to health workers in South Africa, has remained low at the Nelson Mandela Academic Hospital in Mthatha, the Eastern Cape health department said on Monday, 1 March.

The province received 6,000 doses of the vaccine on 16 February as the rollout of the vaccine under the Sisonke protocol got underway. Eastern Cape health department spokesperson, Sizwe Kupelo, said at the weekend that they had vaccinated 3,041 health workers by 24 February.

Kupelo said health workers were reluctant to be inoculated because of many myths circulating in the community with regard to vaccinations.

These include that the vaccination contains a microchip; that you do not need it if you have already contracted Covid-19; that it would alter your DNA and that you will test positive for the coronavirus if you have the vaccine.

Kupelo said he didn't have the latest figures for the number of people vaccinated in the province.

Sivuyile Mange, of the...