The liquor industry in South Africa is considering the introduction of a “vaccine passport” to buy alcohol.
The South African Liquor Brand Owners Association (Salba) will be discussing the proposal on Wednesday (25 August) as part of a broader push to increase Covid-19 vaccinations in the country.
“Like most in business, the industry’s initial reaction has been to promote vaccination among thousands of people employed in the sector. The industry is reviewing any potential approach in supporting a broader societal agenda to encourage vaccination,” said Salba chair Sibani Mngadi.
The project will also be discussed by government authorities at the National Health Council on Thursday. The proposal was first introduced by Limpopo Health MEC, Phophi Ramathuba, who said that her department was in discussion with liquor traders in the province about refusing to sell alcohol to unvaccinated customers.
In an interview on Monday (23 August), Ramathuba said that while there is no national legislation that forces people to vaccinate, the government needs to look at other ways of increasing vaccine uptake. She said that, “It is not compulsory in our country, and that includes Limpopo. However, as a health department, we can’t just fold our arms and keep complaining about vaccine hesitancy when we know we can engage the liquor industry.”
Ramathuba added that the liquor industry is one of the segments which is hardest hit when a new wave of Covid-19 infections impact the country, with the government being quick to ban alcohol to help reduce the strain on hospitals.
The MEC said that there is an opportunity for South Africa to avert a fourth wave of Covid-19 infections later this year if enough people are vaccinated. She added that it is up to the liquor industry to decide if it accepts the government’s proposal – but warned that alcohol could be banned again if the country experiences a fourth wave.
Sources: BusinessTech
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