Several countries around the world they have falsified official coronavirus statistics, shared artificially sunny perspectives on the pandemic, or repressed reports that contradict the official narrative.
Zoom in: But no country has taken coronavirus denial to the extent of Tanzania, which not only denies that it has a single case, but also rejects vaccines.
- Even North Korea, which has reported zero cases, is scheduled to receive vaccines from the COVAX initiative. Also Turkmenistan, officially free of COVID, but will soon launch its vaccination campaign with sputnik V from Russia.
- President John Magufuli says Tanzania does not need vaccines and they do not work anyway: “If the white man was able to present vaccines, he should have found a vaccine against AIDS, cancer and tuberculosis.”
- His government has recommended herbal remedies, steam treatments and a ginger and onion smoothie to prevent infection.
Reality check: Magufuli’s COVID populism is dangerous for multiple reasons.
- Tanzanians die. In crowded hospitals, patients with oxygen succumb to what will officially be reported as “acute pneumonia,” reports The Continent.
- The virus crosses borders. The government’s decision to reject vaccines and do any system of testing and screening, but impossible, could be dangerous for Tanzania’s residents and potentially for the world.
The other side: Doctors and journalists have tried to spread the risks, mostly anonymously for fear of retribution, and recently the Catholic Church sounded the alarm.