Khayelitsha health-care workers give vaccine the thumbs up
AFTER 11 months of battling the Covid-19 pandemic on the front line, health-care workers who received their Johnson & Johnson vaccine shots this week said they felt “privileged” being first in line.
The first round of vaccines was administered at Khayelitsha District Hospital's trauma unit on Wednesday, following the arrival of 80 000 of the vaccines from the US at OR Tambo International.
Shortly after making history by becoming the first South African to receive the Johnson & Johnson Covid19 vaccine, Khayelitsha District Hospital nurse and midwife Zoliswa GidiDyosi reported for duty and delivered a healthy baby boy.
“When I returned to my workstation after getting my shot, there was a patient who needed to deliver her baby. I delivered the baby boy. This shows that after receiving the vaccine, you can return to your normal life. I feel fine, I have no side-effects and I am still able to work,” she said.
This is the same for Dr Sa'ad Lahri, an emergency physician at Khayelitsha District Hospital who returned to work 24 hours after being vaccinated.
“I feel very honoured to get the vaccine. There is a lot of vaccine hesitancy and even my friends and family members feel much more confident now after having seen me receive the vaccine. I feel absolutely fine, I have no side-effects, I'm fit and healthy. I'm strong and ready to continue working,” he said.
The first doses of the vaccine to arrive in the country were also administered to a group of 40 doctors and nurses at Groote Schuur Hospital.
Professor Ivan Joubert, the hospital's Head of Critical Care, said apart from a stiff arm from the jab, he felt extremely well after being vaccinated.
“I am feeling good other than just a stiff arm which does not compare to the people we lost to Covid. Having been on the front line of the pandemic for 11 months we are happy that the vaccine has finally arrived.”
Cwengisa Dadirai, an admin clerk at Khayelitsha District Hospital, said she felt it was a great privilege to get vaccinated as “it brings hope that the pandemic will come to an end”.
Speaking during the State of the Province Address (Sopa) this week, Premier Alan Winde said they had taken a decision to embark on a provincial procurement process to acquire additional vaccines for the province as the centralised vaccine procurement process has not yet secured enough vaccines to prevent a third wave.
“While it will not be easy, it is a necessary mitigation measure against the unquestionable risk of putting all our eggs in one basket. As part of the process, the Department of Health has started reaching out to manufacturers, in the first step towards procurement.”