London, Dec. 14, 2020 (AltAfrica)-France’s Louis Pasteur may have played a key role in fostering the science of vaccinations, but these days his compatriots rank among the world’s most fervent anti-vaxxers.

With COVID vaccines starting to be approved, the French government faces a monumental challenge convincing enough French to get vaccinated to develop the necessary herd immunity.

But the fear over the vaccine is not limited to France, it is a deep-rooted problem across the world including Africa

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A recent survey conducted by Ipsos, found that only 29% of South Africans believe a vaccine is necessary. According to the survey 36% of South Africans would avoid getting vaccinated against COVID-19.

This is in spite of being the hardest hit country in Africa. Currently, the cumulative number of coronavirus cases in the country now stands at 860 964.

Scientific advisor at the South African Vaccination and Immunisation Centre Professor, Hannelie Meyer, says the roll out of the vaccine can backfire.

“There still needs to be a lot of debate before the roll out of the vaccine, because it can actually backfire. People can feel that they don’t have the freedom of choice anymore. There’s a ministerial committee appointed by the government to advise.”

The UK became the first to authorise the COVID-19 vaccine developed by Pfizer and BioNTech – this, after the government’s Independent Scientific Advisory Body granted temporary authorisation for emergency use.

Two people, both of whom have a history of allergies, were reported to have had serious allergic reactions to the vaccine probing experts to caution that this is a reminder of the importance of continuing to monitor the safety and effectiveness of the vaccine.

Meanwhile, Chinese authorities have already approved multiple COVID vaccines for emergency use in the country. According to reports nearly 1 million Chinese have already been vaccinated.