[imagesource: Twitter / @wesleyfestersa]

In South Africa, getting a COVID-19 vaccine is not mandatory.

What we do know for sure is that after the jab, you drastically reduce your chances of ending up in hospital, which the good folks at Groote Schuur can tell you firsthand.

And they have, like Dr. Marc Mendelson, who said a few weeks back that he has yet to see a single vaccinated person in his COVID-19 high care ward.

Sadly, those wards are still full, and healthcare workers face tough decisions every day, as they have for almost a year and a half now.

To show thanks for their stellar, ongoing efforts, some anti-vaxxers decided to gather outside Groote Schuur to protest.

Ideally, it would be great if the tiny number of protesters present could be taken on a tour of the ICU ward, but that would only endanger more lives.

Journalist Robyn Smith was on hand to cover the protest:

Anti-vaxxers protested outside one of Cpt’s busiest hospitals yesterday, where doctors are working around the clock to save lives.
One brave doctor came out to confront protesters, some of whom don’t even believe that covid exists.

Here’s my story 🎥 : https://t.co/PB1F86z3BR

— robynsmithsa (@robyn_smith_sa) August 22, 2021

Her video report in full:

That woman in the purple headscarf from the 40-second mark saying she doesn’t believe in COVID-19 is one thing, but how about the woman who says she had the virus back in December, and still doesn’t believe?

She featured in this IOL article from January, where she detailed her struggle with the virus:

 The youngest patient inside a Covid-19 ward at the time of her admission told of her arduous, yet inspiring, road to recovery…

She was given the option to medicate at home or to be admitted. She chose to be admitted and was placed on oxygen treatment immediately. Her stay at hospital lasted 10-11 days…

“The elderly people don’t have phones to make contact with their loved ones so that’s where I came in, because I did all of that (being) the youngest. I had access to social media. I created videos with myself and the patients and I remained positive in my ward. We prayed if there was someone who was really ill.”

The videos she said, helped create awareness especially among young people, that the virus was not a hoax.

Here’s one of the videos she recorded at the time:

December 2020: COVID is real. It kills.
August 2021: “I don’t believe in COVID” pic.twitter.com/ey1TiW5Lzx

— robynsmithsa (@robyn_smith_sa) August 22, 2021

Well, she’s certainly had a change of heart.

That could be the saddest thing referenced in the headline, but the worst is still to come.

You can see and feel the anger of that doctor in the video above, and before the protest, Dr. Mendelson had spoken on CapeTalk about why this was so hurtful to those who work at the hospital:

He says Groote Schuur is dealing with a “dedicated and largely traumatised workforce” as staffers have to make difficult decisions about which Covid-19 patients get admitted to high care wards…

“Covid-19 vaccination is currently not mandatory. Even if it was, to protest outside this hospital.. where we’re trying our very best to save people’s lives and to help and care for people… is extremely disappointing and highly disrespectful.”

“We have a full set of Covid-19 wards… Our ICUs are full… It’s causing a lot of distress for everybody, the patients and the staff… We are seeing a lot of people dying…”

After the protest, Dr. Mendelson took to Twitter to thank those who had shown support:

Thank you to the #GrooteSchuurHospital Facility Board for its show of support for all healthcare professionals at the hospital in the face of today’s small protest by #COVID19 antivaxxers. Much appreciated! @ZameerBrey https://t.co/ytC3SDzpiw #GetVaccinatedNow #VaccineWorks

— Marc Mendelson (@SouthAfricanASP) August 21, 2021

The Facebook post he references is from the Heroes of Groote Schuur page, which issued a press release on behalf of the Groote Schuur Hospital Facility Board on Saturday.

Some passages from that post:

Labelling this hospital who has treated thousands of patients, COVID and non COVID- a ‘gas chamber’ and blatantly accused our staff of killing patients is deeply disturbing and unacceptable…

This isolated group of individuals clearly have no regard for the more than 1000 personnel who were infected in the line of duty and the 20 staff members who have died of COVID 19, caring for community members in this hospital.

You have forgotten about them, the families and loved ones they have left behind and the ultimate price they paid for their sacrifice on the front line caring for the loved ones of others. Your insensitivity and purported concern for life and livelihoods is deeply disappointing.

While you do have a right to choose to vaccinate or not, your further utterances denying the existence of COVID 19 are a direct indictment on the very patients with COVID 19, we are caring for today. There are fathers, mothers, brothers and sisters, sons and daughters who are fighting for their lives while you dismiss their pain and suffering and label them.

People inside the hospital are dying, and outside the hospital you’re protesting that the virus itself does not exist?

The statement went on to thank “the broader community who have rallied behind our staff at this difficult time” while adding that “your warm words of encouragement, small gifts and public praise is what’s keeping our staff motivated”.

Don’t forget that, as we all grow tired of dealing with this seemingly never-ending pandemic.

Yes, we’re gatvol of lockdowns and curfews and booze bans and all the rest, but imagine fighting on the frontline all this time and being treated with such utter disrespect by the very people you are protecting?

If you don’t want to take the vaccine, that’s your choice.

But if you head to a hospital, where trained professionals who have dedicated decades to helping others are hard at work trying to save lives, in order to protest, then you are an objectively terrible person.

[sources:iol&facebook]