WATCH: MEC Lesufi urges education sector workers in Gauteng to vaccinate
MEC Lesufi appreciated the effort by the Department of Health to prioritise the educators.
Gauteng’s MEC for Education, Panyaza Lesufi, made an impassioned plea to education sector (staff and non-staff) officials to get their Covid-19 vaccination jabs, saying the department ‘appreciated and endorsed’ the decision to prioritise the sector.
The MEC was speaking on the first day of the vaccination drive at Rabasotho Community Hall, Thembisa, on June 23, where, with senior education officials, he received his vaccination jab. The event was also attended by the Minister of Basic Education, Angie Motshekga, and the Deputy Minister of Health, Dr Joe Phaahla.
“If you check the (Covid-19 infection) numbers that are increasing in our schools, you will see we must protect our educators. Every learner comes from a family and goes back to that family and you don’t want the child to be carrying the virus to the family. If you can protect the children, you can protect everyone,” Lesufi said.
More than 125 934 workers in the education sector in Gauteng are expected to be vaccinated in the 10 days between June 23 and July 8. Of that total, 71 726 are educators at Gauteng public schools, 24 492 are non-educators such as clerks, food handlers and teacher union staff, among others.
A total of 10 488 SGB-appointed educators and Grade R practitioners in public schools are also eligible for the shots. The remainder, 19 678, is made up of educators from independent schools.
“We are happy with the progress made at all our 60 sites in Gauteng as no major glitches were reported besides a few challenges that were quickly attended to,” he said.
Lesufi also thanked the Department of Health for acquiring the vaccine and prioritising the education sector.
“We appreciate and endorse the decision to ensure educators are protected. That is why as the education sector we are committing ourselves to cherish this opportunity and ensuring we complete the roll-out in the timeframe given. We know the queue for the vaccine is long and do not want to add to the delays.
“While vaccination is voluntary, the Department of Health highly recommends that all in the sector vaccinate so that everyone is protected from Covid-19, especially those with comorbidities, as the vaccination is said to reduce the severity of illness and possible hospitalisation in the case of one contracting the virus.
“Further, those who contracted Covid-19 in the past 30 days, those who were vaccinated using another vaccine (Pfizer or using J&J under Sisonke) and those who vaccinated for flu in the past 14 days are not eligible for the jab.
“We urge those who had been vaccinated to continue adhering to non-pharmaceutical health and safety protocols, including social distancing, regular washing or sanitising of hands and wearing a mask,” explained Lesufi.
