4 Lubombo schools to start vaccination

SITEKI – At least four schools with boarding facilities in the Lubombo Region will kick start the vaccination programme next Monday.

According to Regional Educational Officer (REO) Richard Dlamini, the schools have been identified with their pupils given the first preference to be administered with the Johnson and Johnson (J&J) vaccine as their learners were residing within their schools’ premises.

The schools are Mphaka High, Ngomane High, Siteki Nazarene High and U-Tech High School.

Dlamini said his office was still collecting data of eligible pupils for this exercise from the rest of the primary and high schools in the region.

Facilitation

The REO said his office was working hand-in-hand with the Ministry of Health in the facilitation of the programme for the qualifying pupils.

“About four schools with boarding facilities have been identified to kick start the vaccination programme in the Lubombo Region. We are still collecting data from schools with qualifying pupils to be able to share the figures with the Ministry of Health. On Monday, the qualifying pupils within the age group of those entitled to vaccinate will be administered with the jabs,” he said.

The REO appealed to school’s head teachers in both primary and high schools to cooperate with his office during the data collection period.

Dlamini said data collection was vital in assisting the ministry with the figures of those to be vaccinated.

Eligible

“It is imperative that the ministry knows the number of pupils eligible for vaccination so that they are able to ensure that the exact doses are allocated for them. We expect all schools to work in partnership with my officers while they continue to collect the important data,” he pleaded.

Meanwhile, Manzini Central High School was the first in the country to encourage its learners aged 18 and above to take the COVID19 vaccine last Friday.

Minister of Health Lizzie Nkosi attended the vaccination programme launched at the school.