The process of vaccinating 16.5 million people in South Africa against Covid-19 by the end of October will begin on Monday, 17 May, as the national roll-out begins.
Provinces have admitted that the start of the Covid-19 vaccination programme will be slow. Health Minister Zweli Mkhize, too, has acknowledged this.
The Department of Health has promised that 3,000 vaccination sites will be brought online during Phase Two of the programme. Those over 60 years old are able to register and receive a Covid-19 vaccine during Phase Two, which is scheduled to run from 17 May until the end of October.
Pfizer vaccines will be administered at 83 public sector sites and four private sector sites from 17 May, according to Mkhize on Sunday evening during a press briefing. He was joined by the health MECs of all nine provinces.
Until now Covid-19 vaccinations in South Africa have only taken place in the context of clinical trials and the Sisonke implementation study. That will change on Monday (17 May) when the country’s mass vaccination programme kicks off. It will also see the start of phase 2 of the vaccine rollout plan, as adults over the age of 60 become eligible for vaccination.
If things go according to plan, the number of Covid-19 vaccine doses administered in the country should increase in the coming weeks to well over 100,000 per day. In the Sisonke study, it has mostly been in the region of 10,000 a day, although numbers have increased substantially in the last few days as the study neared its 15 May end date.
Until now Covid-19 vaccinations in South Africa have only taken place in
the context of clinical trials and the Sisonke implementation study. That will
change on Monday (17 May) when the country’s mass vaccination programme kicks
off. It will also see the start of phase 2 of the vaccine rollout plan, as adults
over the age of 60 become eligible for vaccination.
If things go according to plan, the number of Covid-19 vaccine doses
administered in the country should increase in the coming weeks to well over
100 000 per day. In the Sisonke study it has mostly been in the region of
10 000 a day, although numbers have increased substantially in the last
06 May 2021 - 21:46 The elderly pay close attention as Mpumalanga MEC for health Sasekani Manzini delivers her speech during the launch of the electronic vaccination system in Verena. Image: Mandla Khoza
Mpumalanga health MEC Sasekani Manzini says the province will need only 21 days to vaccinate 67% people for the COVID-19 when the jab arrives.
Speaking at the launch of the electronic vaccination system, in Verena near KwaMhlanga on Thursday, Manzini said the province doing well in terms of managing the pandemic as it has only 795 active cases.
She said the second phase of the vaccine registration, which is targeting people over 60, was well underway and her department has also dispatched health workers to vaccinate them in their homes.
The ANC in Mpumalanga said that at least one person had died due to violence which took place during a BGM in preparation for the regional and provincial conferences.