Low turnout of registered vaccine candidates not ideal for speedy rollout

MOMENTUM Health Solutions, in line with the experience of other large private Covid-19 vaccination centres, is seeing an ongoing trend of individuals not arriving for their scheduled vaccine slots, despite having completed the registration process via the electronic vaccination data system (EVDS).

While it is understandable that in the odd instance a person may not be able to attend as scheduled due to traffic incidents, the onset of bad illness or other unforeseen circumstances – the high percentage of no-shows does raise concerns.

It not only impacts negatively on the appropriate use of vaccines that had been prepared to be administered on that day, but it also takes away the opportunity for millions of others to be able to register and come for their vaccine, against a background of vaccine stock constraints.

Momentum Health Solutions has established four mass vaccination centres in Sandton (Johannesburg), Doringkloof (Pretoria), Parc du Cap (Cape Town) and Cornubia (Durban), complete with cold storage facilities for keeping large quantities of vaccine stock and a full complement of trained nurses.

At present, provided sufficient vaccine stock was available, the healthcare administrator could vaccinate around 20 000 individuals a day.

Additional outreach sites in Pietermaritzburg, Polokwane, Bloemfontein and Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth) could also be brought on line, once vaccine stock supply constraints are resolved.

Should approval be granted, one could even see large employer groups offering vaccines on site, since the likes of Momentum Wellness already has nurses and infrastructure available on site.

Challenges around vaccine manufacture

“Ideally one would have wanted to see significantly higher numbers of vaccinated people in southern Africa at this point, however I am confident that we can still achieve population immunity before the end of the year, as the various challenges around vaccine manufacture and supply are resolved, and as we make headway in terms of convincing vaccine-hesitant individuals that it safe and beneficial to join those already vaccinated,” says Momentum Health Solutions’ Damian McHugh.

“It is unfortunate that there are so many falsehoods being spread around the efficacy or safety of these vaccines, and we need to keep investing in establishing trust among the public at large that these vaccines have been tested and proven as safe and effective against even the latest Delta Plus variant of the coronavirus.

“Our economy is under immense strain, and so are we as individuals.

“The only solution is to immunise ourselves against this global threat so that Africa can follow in the footsteps of Europe and America, where infection rates continue to decline steadily, following successful and wide-ranging vaccination rollouts.”