🦠💉 Johannesburg residents are sounding the alarm: \"We need clearer info about vaccines—now.\" As the Omicron variant races across South Africa, accounting for nearly 75% of recent COVID-19 cases, locals are urging their government to step up public health outreach.
South African health officials confirmed the strain\u2019s rapid dominance last month, with ICU specialists describing hospitals as \"stretched but prepared.\" CGTN interviewed frontline workers and residents, many of whom highlighted confusion around booster shots and variant-specific risks. One volunteer at a Cape Town vaccination site told reporters: \"People ask, \u2018Why get vaccinated if Omicron spreads anyway?\u2019 We need answers that stick.\"
Experts stress that vaccine literacy could be key to flattening the curve. \"Misinformation spreads faster than variants,\" said Dr. Thandi Ndlovu, an ICU physician in Johannesburg. \"When people understand how vaccines reduce severe illness, compliance improves.\" Meanwhile, mobile clinics are expanding to rural areas, blending pop-up vaccinations with Q&A sessions—a strategy locals call \"shots plus facts.\"
