Ekurhuleni vaccination sites ready for 12- to 17 year-old cohort

Vaccination sites across the country are bracing themselves for the 12- to 17-year-old cohort expected to visit healthcare facilities to get their Covid-19 vaccine, starting from tomorrow, October 20.

The City of Ekurhuleni said its vaccination sites in the City are set to welcome the new group eligible for vaccine jabs.

Children in this age group (12 and older) will receive only one dose of the Pfizer vaccine, and it was reported they will not need parental consent for Covid-19 vaccination.

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The Children’s Act makes provision for children in this age group to access medical treatment without their parent’s consent under specific guidelines.

In his remarks on October 15 during a media briefing on the Covid-19 vaccination rollout programme, Health Minister Dr Joe Phaahla said the move to vaccinate this age group came after a recommendation by the Vaccine Ministerial Advisory Committee (VMAC), which was supported by health MECs and Cabinet.

“The Pfizer vaccine has been approved by SAHPRA for this age group and will be used for this purpose.

“The VMAC advised that for now, we only give one dose while assessing information which suggests that in a few cases there have been short-lived cases of transient myocarditis after two doses.

“The timing of the second dose will be informed by further information on this rarely observed side-effect which has no permanent risk,” explained the minister.

Phahla said countrywide the numbers of new infections have continued on a downward trend. They were over the last seven days, from October 15, at 28% reduction and a 3.5% reduction in hospitalisation. Reported deaths were at the time also down by 16%.

“It will take a little longer to see even lower numbers of people still in hospital, as fewer admissions are going forward.”

By October 14, the country had administered about 20 million vaccine doses, and more than 10 million people were fully vaccinated.

People with compromised immunity

The minister said the VMAC has also advised that additional doses be given to individuals with compromised immunity.

These include those on long-term oral steroid therapy for autoimmune conditions, those with haematological or immune malignancies, those with solid organ or bone marrow transplant, renal dialysis and primary immunological disorders.

“The advice is that these categories of patients be offered additional dose over the prescribed normal, but this must be strictly under the referral by their medical doctor under their supervision.

“The other matter we are addressing is boosters, especially for healthcare workers.

“The request is receiving attention and we are working with the SA Medical Research Council on a possible approach and the MRC has applied to SAHPRA to consider a J&J booster to follow the Sisonke study to use this as a second study on the possible benefit of enhanced immunity with a booster of the otherwise one dose vaccine.

“We will wait for the results of this application.”

Phahla indicated there is the issue of people who have come from other countries who have received vaccines not used now in RSA, including AstraZeneca, Moderna, Sputnik and Sinovac.

“We are not able to provide second doses where they are required and neither can we give them a vaccine certificate when they need one.

“The advice we have received is that such individuals can be offered one dose of Pfizer to complete their two doses as there is evidence that AstraZeneca and Moderna combine well with Pfizer and it’s believed that it’s safe with the others as well.

“We are again calling on all South Africans to come forward and contribute towards their health safety and that of your families, friends and co-workers by vaccinating.”

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