As director of a nationwide community of ladies residing with HIV in Zimbabwe, Tendai Westerhof was used to difficult stigma. When the COVID-19 vaccine turned obtainable, she turned alarmed by the worry and disinformation she noticed spreading on social media.

“Every time you open a WhatsApp group, persons are saying this about COVID. You go on Fb, someone is saying that about COVID. And there was additionally a motion that was beginning to be anti-vaccine. Individuals didn’t know what to consider.”

So Tendai determined to go public along with her personal vaccination, changing into the primary individual brazenly residing with HIV to get vaccinated for COVID-19.

“My story was throughout within the newspapers, and I inspired the constituency, and other people residing with HIV, to get vaccinated.”

After Tendai’s vaccination was made public, there was an inflow of individuals residing with HIV in search of the vaccine. Now, she encourages everybody to get vaccinated.

“These vaccinations are secure, they’re environment friendly, and other people shouldn’t be scared,” she says. “Let’s demystify the fears. It’s all meant to guard you, me, our households, our communities, and everybody.”