Kumba: Rumours of COVID-19 vaccination interrupt schools

Classes interrupted in Kumba, Meme Division in the South West Region Friday, February 19, 2021, as students and pupils flee to avoid vaccination against coronavirus.

According to a witness speaking to Mimi Mefo Info on phone, “a woman went to Government Practicing School(GPS) Kumba and demanded to take away her child on grounds that government’s COVID 19 vaccination team was heading to the school to administer the vaccine to children. Despite efforts by teachers of the school to convince the woman that nothing as such has been authorized by the government, she violently took away the child. “

To our source, thirty minutes after the departure of the woman and her children, hundreds of parents arrived at the school, mounted pressure on the school, and took away their children.

Noticing what was happening at Government Practicing School Kumba, students and pupils of other schools started running home to avoid vaccination.

At least three students according to a Kumba-based journalist Tamfu Cidouan, at least three students have sustained injuries as they struggle to run out of the school campus with students, pupils, and parents running in different directions.

Chamberlain Ntou’ou Ndong, Senior Divisional Officer for Meme has debunked such rumors of administering COVID 19 vaccine to kids in Meme Division.

As the administration confirm that what circulated and interrupted school was mere rumors, observers say the reaction of parents, students, and pupils in Kumba aginst COVID 19 vaccine largely reflects the general opinion of Cameroonians against a controversial COVID 19 vaccine.

Following recent statistics published by Dr. Manaouda Malachie; Cameroon minister of public health, the rate of contamination is high in Cameroon, and respecting COVID 19 preventive measures is necessary.

Last month, public health ministers in the central Africa sub-region in a video conference expressed the need of considering the possibilities of letting citizens of their countries take the vaccine to reduce contamination.

Mbatho Ntan.