BEREA resident, Bruce Soutar (68) was among the thousands of citizens who received the Covid-19 vaccination recently.
The KwaZulu-Natal Health Department has urged citizens over 60 years of age to register for the vaccination.
During a media briefing on Sunday, 20 June KwaZulu Natal premier, Sihle Zikalala said: “We continue to make significant headway with the vaccination of both our senior citizens aged 60 and above, as well as healthcare workers. As of Friday, 18 June, we had vaccinated 362 226 senior citizens, as well as 127 health workers.
“The total number of senior citizens who are currently registered on the Electronic Vaccination Data System (EVDS) currently stands at 501 210, from a target of just over 955 000 that we need to vaccinate.”
Also read: KZN Health Department launches vaccine influencers roadshow
Soutar said he registered via SMS last month and received his vaccination this month, six weeks after registration.
“There is a pop-up screen that takes you through registration.
“You enter your name, address and ID number. When you submit it, you get an automatic acknowledgment of receipt. Then you wait a few days until you are sent an address of where to go to have your vaccination done,” he said.
Soutar was sent to St Joseph’s at Life Entabeni Hospital. Commenting on the process, he said: “A sister took my details, asking about my medical history and explaining possible mild reactions to the vaccine. Another nurse gave me the injection, which was actually quite painless, and completed my Covid-19 passport which also contained the date of my next injection.”
He will revisit the hospital next month for his second injection. Soutar, who had the Pfizer vaccination, said he did not experience any side effects.
Also read: More than 110 000 vaccines allocated to educators
“The hospital gave me an informative sheet to read on Covid-19 and told me to continue to wear my mask. It’s an efficient, well-run set up with social distancing in place. Everyone is masked up and there are staff to lead you where you need to go,” he said.
While he does not have any co-morbidities, Soutar said he decided to get the vaccination because of his age.
“My wife is an optometrist, so she is in regular contact each day with 10- 20 people, so I think I am in quite a high risk situation, even though my wife is very cautious,” he added.
He encouraged other community members to register for the vaccine.
“It will lower the risk for everyone. We don’t do it for ourselves, but for the people around us,” he said.
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