A significant, historic, symbolic and emotional moment for SA and as I watched the first people get inoculated, I did shed a tear as I noted the significance of the moment in our fight against the monster virus that has decimated many communities worldwide.

We will forever be indebted to Johnson & Johnson for its prompt response in restoring our hope in getting vaccinated against the virus after the disappointment that threatened to derail our government's efforts to roll out vaccinations last week.

Until such time that we are assured of the success of the vaccination programme, it is important that we continue practising the health protocols that we are now used to. It is very important to cover your nose and mouth when wearing your mask instead of covering your neck or chin.

We must be mindful of the fact that this is the first step towards eliminating the coronavirus. It will take some time as we still have to wait for vaccines before a large part of the population is vaccinated. Until then, it is important for all of us to co-operate and observe all health protocols.

Cometh Dube-Makholwa, Midrand.