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world news Diaranson 29 December 2021

Undertaker and rabbis join global fight promoting COVID shots

(AP) - In Germany, Lu- ed 3 million-plus COVID-19
theran pastors are offer- cases, including over 90,000
ing COVID-19 shots in- deaths. Those are the highest
side churches. In Israel’s figures in Africa. Only about
science-skeptical ultra- 40% of South Africa’s adult
Orthodox community, population is fully vaccinat-
trusted rabbis are trying ed, and that is one of the best
to change minds. And in levels on the continent. After
South Africa, undertakers a fitful start, there is ample
are taking to the streets to vaccine.
spread the word.
Thabo Teffo, a 32-year-old
The funeral directors’ mes- bank employee, was among
sage: “We’re burying too those seeking shots recently
many people.” at a Soweto church.

A year after the COVID-19 Teffo said he had been skepti-
vaccine became available, tra- cal but came under pressure
ditional public health cam- from his parents and two
paigns promoting vaccination vaccinated sisters, and also
are often going unheeded. So had a recent health scare that
an unconventional cadre of turned out not to be CO-
people has joined the effort. VID-19.

They are opening sanctuaries “That encouraged me to go who can organize something “It’s important that there’s a county’s vaccination rate is
and going door to door and ahead and get vaccinated for like this.” space where we listen to each about 27%.
village to village, touting the my peace of mind and to pro- other without immediately
benefits of the vaccines and tect my family,” he said. Herbst opened St. Petri’s lapsing into condemnation,” Gabby Watson, 23, of Gillette,
sometimes offering shots on wrought-iron doors on a Herbst said. said she has no intention of
the spot. Rupali Limaye, a behavioral recent vaccination day and getting vaccinated “because
scientist who studies global sighed with relief when he Chicago community activist I’m really healthy and take
As the outbreak drags on into vaccine hesitancy at Johns saw the long line of people Caesar Thompson uses that care of myself. I’m just not a
a third year, with the global Hopkins Bloomberg School waiting in the cold. same approach as he knocks high risk for COVID. I just
death toll at 5.4 million, vac- of Public Health, said com- on doors in struggling Black don’t see the reasoning for
cine promoters are up against munity-level efforts may res- Retirees Hannelore Hilbert neighborhoods hit hard by me to get the vaccine.”
fear, mistrust, complacency, onate more than impersonal and her husband came to get the virus.
inconvenience and people mass media campaigns. booster shots in time for the She said the U.S. govern-
who simply have bigger wor- holidays. Thompson, 44, is a “vaccine ment is pushing COVID-19
ries than COVID-19. German pastor Christoph ambassador” enlisted by city vaccines too hard.
Herbst believes giving COV- “Last year’s Christmas was health authorities. He said
On a December day, a convoy ID-19 shots in surroundings really sad. We were all alone,” the idea is not to strong-arm “They’re pushing more peo-
of hearses with sirens wailing that feel more familiar than said the 70-year-old Hilbert, or cajole. Instead, he said, he ple away and creating more
drove up to a shopping mall medical settings may help. who looked forward to cel- offers information, answers of this thought bubble of,
in Johannesburg’s sprawling That’s why he and several ebrating with at least some questions and lets people ‘What the hell are you trying
Soweto township. other Lutheran pastors in the of her five grandchildren in know he can sign them up to to do with my body? What
Saxony region contacted an person — not on Skype, like receive shots in their homes are you trying to do with my
“Vaccinate, vaccinate!” Vuyo aid group to offer shots inside last year. or nearby. freedom?’” Watson said. “And
Mabindisi of Vuyo’s Funeral their churches, despite some- that’s not a good direction to
Services said as he handed times violent anti-vaccina- The Western-made vaccines Thompson has a salesman’s go into either.”
out pamphlets on how to tion protests in recent weeks. have proved extraordinarily gift of gab, and he has used
avoid COVID-19. “We don’t Some pastors have been criti- safe and remarkably effective it at churches, train stations, Suspicion of secular authori-
want to see you coming to cized and even threatened. overall at preventing CO- parks, flea markets — almost ties is rampant in Israel’s
our offices.” VID-19 deaths and hospital- anywhere people gather. community of ultra-Ortho-
“We believe that we have a re- izations, and experts say that dox Jews, They shun many
Several people responded sponsibility that goes beyond seems to be holding true even Thompson said it helps that trappings of modern life, fol-
with curiosity and questions, ourselves,” said Herbst, of St. amid the spread of the highly he’s “just a guy on the street.” low a strict interpretation of
while others carried on with Petri church in the eastern contagious omicron variant. “You might even know me Judaism and rely on rabbis
their shopping. city of Chemnitz. “We’re not Health authorities warn that if you live in my neighbor- to guide many life decisions.
doctors and we’re not pro- low vaccination rates are giv- hood,” he said. While some rabbis have en-
With a population of 60 mil- fessionals. But we have the ing the virus more oppor- couraged vaccination, others
lion, South Africa has report- space and we have volunteers tunities to mutate into new In communities he targets, have taken a less aggressive
variants. the coronavirus is often not approach.
the most pressing concern,
Saxony has Germany’s low- Thompson said. For people The ultra-Orthodox have
est vaccination rate and high in crime-ridden neighbor- some of Israel’s lowest vacci-
COVID-19 numbers. hoods who lack jobs or health nation rates and have been hit
insurance and are struggling hard by the pandemic.
Herbst said many naysayers to feed their families, “COV-
are concerned about pos- ID is down the list for them,” Now, facing omicron, Israeli
sible side effects, feel they are he said. officials “are going on the of-
overly pressured by authori- fensive,″ said Avraham Ru-
ties, or resent any measures In conservative Wyoming, binstein, the mayor of Bnei
supported by the govern- the vaccine can be a hard sell. Brak, the country’s largest
ment. Some feel discriminat- Commissioners in Campbell ultra-Orthodox city. They
ed against as East Germans, County voted against using are deploying mobile vacci-
because not all their hopes federal dollars for an educa- nation clinics and enlisting
have been fulfilled 30 years tion campaign about the vac- prominent rabbis in the com-
after communism’s collapse. cines, worrying that it would munity.
smack of a mandate. The