WATCH: Old age homes gearing up to vaccinate their residents

Elderly people will in the coming weeks be inoculated for Covid-19 during phase two of the vaccine rollout, which is targeting citizens who are 60 years old and above, as well as persons older than 18 with co-morbidities.

Elderly citizens living in old age homes such as SAVF Huis Dien Bothma, Cosmos Old Age Home and Witfield Park Retirement Village, will be inoculated at their respective care centres.

South Africa’s vaccine rollout kicked off on May 17, which saw thousands of elderly people across the country receive their Pfizer doses.

According to the executive director of Cosmos Old Age Home, Susan Cilliers, they have been told by the Department of Health they will arrive at the centre in a week or two to vaccinate the elderly people and their staff.

“Many of our residents have registered to be vaccinated, as well as our staff members.

“Unfortunately, the site won’t be open to the public but for the elderly residents and our staff.

“About eight of our nurses have undergone training but two of those nurses have been appointed to assist nurses from the health department with the vaccination processes,” she said.

At the Witfield Park Retirement Village, the manager, Marinda Lombaard, said the retirement home is also awaiting information from the Department of Health.

She said they have over 300 residents and it’s difficult to determine how many residents are registered for the vaccine as some of the residents registered themselves.

SAVF Huis Dien Bothma has also been registered as a vaccine site for its residents and staff.

According to the manager, Tiekie Mertens, they are still waiting on the Department of Health to inform them about when they’ll be coming to vaccinate the residents and staff members.

“We’re now working around the clock to get everything ready. Three of our professional nursing staff are trained to vaccinate and will be there to assist.

“We have about 170 residents and 77 staff members.

“Everybody at Huis Dien Bothma will have the opportunity to be vaccinated against Covid-19.

“However, people have the right to say they want to be vaccinated or not,” said Mertens.

Ekurhuleni District phase one B and phase two vaccination sites:

• Kobie Muller Hall (Germiston)
• Jabulani Dumane Community Healthcare Centre (Vosloorus)
• Daveyton Main CDC (Daveyton)
• Nokuthela Ngwenya Community Healthcare Centre (Nigel)
• Kempton Park Civic Centre (Kempton Park)
• Esangweni Community Healthcare Centre (Thembisa)

For assistance or for more information on how to register contact the coronavirus toll-free hotline on 0800 029 999.

Also Read: Tips for senior citizens to stay COVID free

Also Read: Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine found to be 90% Effective