The Covid-19 era has been characterized by misinformation and disinformation on the effects of the vaccine on women’s sexual reproductive health.
Women in marginalized communities suffer a lot from these information disorders due to information distribution inequalities and because of their marginalization.
Speaking during a listening session held at Cowdray Park, Qinisela Nyathi highlighted that some of the rumors that were being spread were that covid-19 vaccine causes watery vagina.
“What I heard was that if you get the covid-19 vaccine your vagina will become watery and you won’t be able to satisfy your husband in bed’, said Nyathi.
Tshowe Ndlovu said some of the rumors that were circulating were that people who have been vaccinated will die after two years.
“I was made to believe that if I get vaccinated l will die after two years. These were the rumors that l heard, I even have children who refused to get vaccinated because of those rumors”, said Ndlovu
She added: “ I also heard that the vaccine is not good for breastfeeding and pregnant women because it dries up the milk on those breastfeeding and it causes miscarriage on those who are pregnant.”
Owing to these rumors, women have failed to make informed decisions when it comes to the vaccine as they believe that it has implication on their sexual reproductive health.
This is an indication that women in marginalized communities have no access to information about the covid-19 pandemic, the vaccine and how it affects the sexual reproductive health.
Sizalobuhle Ncube, a health expert encouraged women in Cowdray Park to get vaccinated and shared information on how the vaccine works.
“The vaccine was designed not to harm but to protect people from the virus. People react differently to medications hence it is possible that some people may experience the side effects of the vaccine while others wont”, said Ncube.
“Pregnant women are also encouraged to get vaccinated because the vaccine doesn’t have any effects on the pregnancy, However, for them it’s voluntary meaning that they can decide whether or not to get vaccinated depending on how they feel”, she added.
Nyathi highlighted that women in marginalized areas are the last to get information hence they take longer to make decisions.
