Eckart Zollner, social observer
To achieve the 60% target deemed necessary for herd immunity, Africa needs to vaccinate 780 million people out of a population of 1,3 billion. In South Africa, 40 million people need to receive vaccine. While South Africa’s vaccination rollout plan is currently on pause, frontline healthcare workers are still receiving the vaccine as part of the Sisonke medical study.
Once the government has secured the necessary doses to restart the programme, no time must be wasted in rolling out these lifesaving shots across the continent. However, achieving herd immunity will be no small feat. This will require the use of the correct cold chain and storage management, including temperature monitoring and alert technology, to ensure that vaccines reach even the most remote parts of Africa safely.