More vaccines expected in the province today
WITH Phase 2 of the Covid-19 vaccination programme set to start next month, the province is trying to ensure that the vaccination of health-care workers is sped up.
The province has administered all of the 53 820 vaccines it received as part of the Sisonke implementation study and should be receiving its fifth tranche by today, according to the provincial Health Department.
Health Department spokesperson Maret Lesch said the registration portal for Phase 2 was not yet open.
“More information on who must register, as well as where and when to register, will be made available as soon as details have been finalised by the national Department of Health,” said Lesch. Both the Johnson & Johnson (J&J) vaccine and the Pfizer vaccine will be administered during Phase 2.
The vaccination drive for Covid-19 is undoubtedly the biggest one globally. As at April 9, 53 001 health-care workers had been vaccinated in the province, in both the public sector and the private sector.
“By April 12, we will have received the fifth tranche of J&J vaccines through the Sisonke programme, which is a total of 90 308 doses – sufficient doses to cover 68% of healthcare workers. We are preparing to scale up to complete Phase 1 vaccinations when we receive more vaccines later in April,” said Lesch.
Meanwhile, Health MEC Nomafrench Mbombo will conduct an oversight visit and vaccination drive at Caledon Hospital today and attend the opening of the Swellendam Ambulance Station. She will also discuss the second phase of the province’s vaccination strategy at Riversdale Hospital.
The province reported 281 469 confirmed cases of the virus, 267 824 recoveries and 2 059 active cases as at 1pm yesterday. About 11 506 people have since succumbed to the virus.
According to data collected by Bloomberg, South Africa has vaccinated a mere 0.5% of its population, with an average of 3 945 of doses administered daily. At this rate, it will take more than 10 years to cover 75% of the population, according to its findings.