As of June 2, 21 110 people in Mpumalanga had been vaccinated in phase 1 and 33 260 in phase 2 since the Covid-19 vaccine roll-out launched in February. This is according to the Mpumalanga Department of Health (DoH). Those who received the jab during the first phase are part of the country’s estimated 1,2 million frontline healthcare workers.
Provincial healthcare workers started getting the Johnson & Johnson (J&J) Covid-19 vaccine in February. It only requires a single dose. The phase 2 roll-out of the Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine was launched on May 17.
It needs two doses to provide maximum immunity. On Wednesday morning, community members received messages stating, “The second dose of the Pfizer vaccine will now be given in 42 days after the first dose instead of after 21 days.”
This follows after President Cyril Ramaphosa’s speech on Sunday, whereafter the country was also moved to level 2 of lockdown.
Phase 2 will include 2 500 000 essential workers, as well as 1 100 000 persons in congregated settings, 5 000 000 people 60 years and older, and 8 000 000 people older than 18 years with comorbidities. It is divided into three platforms: work-based vaccinations, outreach-based vaccinations and vaccination centres.
Essential workers are listed as police officers, miners and workers in security, retail, food production, funeral, teachers, banking, essential municipal and home affairs, border control and port health services. People with comorbidities are persons living with uncontrolled diabetes, chronic lung diseases, poorly controlled cardiovascular diseases, renal diseases, HIV, tuberculosis and obesity. Congregated settings include care homes, detention centres, shelters and prisons. Phase three will consist of 22 500 000 other people 18 years and older.
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The DoH spokesperson, Dumisani Malamule said, “The elderly above 60 years and older are going to be prioritised in this phase due to their risk rating, then we move down the age groups. All citizens are expected to enrol on the electronic vaccination data system for them to be able to access the vaccine.”
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The province is currently administering Pfizer vaccines at the following six vaccination sites: Rob Ferreira Hospital, Shongwe, Ermelo, Bethal, Middelburg and eMalahleni, including old age homes and outreach points within the catchment areas.
