Chaos at Maxeke hospital as vaccine trial comes to an end

As health workers around the country scrambled in a last-minute rush to get vaccinated with the Johnson & Johnson (J&J) jab before the Sisonke trial ends on Saturday, authorities pledged that the chaotic scenes would not be repeated when the second phase kicks off on Monday.

Lines of people queuing to be vaccinated on Thursday snaked around the Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital with minimal social distancing. The Gauteng department of health had to appeal for calm.

The Gauteng MEC for health’s spokeswoman, Kwara Kekana, said the department was doing its best for phase two vaccination roll-out preparations.

“The department prepared to the best of its ability. This vaccination was the very first of its kind,so we would improve as we went if there were any issues,” she said.

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Kekana added that when the second phase begins on Monday, not all vaccination sites would start operations at the same time – they would be phased in.

“We will work with various stakeholders such as old-age homes to roll out the programme to the elderly. We urge everyone who can use the electronic vaccine data system [EVDS] to register there.”

EVDS registrations have been open since last month to people over the age of 60 – the priority group for phase two.

Many of those who have done so have reported receiving confirmation SMS messages, but have heard nothing further about when and where they will have appointments to get the jab.

The EVDS offers those who register a choice of whether they would prefer to be vaccinated at a facility close to home or to where they work, if applicable.

A choice is also offered of morning or afternoon appointments. The chaos at vaccinations sites on Thursday was because of a “last-minute rush” by health workers, according to Professor Ameena Goga, co-principal investigator for the Sisonke trial study.

“Sisonke was implemented on 17 February and demand declined. With the increasing Covid-19 daily infections, healthcare workers flocked to the vaccination centres for vaccines, which was wonderful as it indicated limited vaccine hesitancy,” she said.

Goga added: “Sisonke had always had a limited 500 000 J&J doses available for the study.”

Zanele Jange, a health worker from Sandton, said she was in the Charlotte Maxeke queue since 5am yesterday morning and was worried that it would be more chaotic on Monday, when the second phase of the roll-out started.

“My plan was to queue until I was at the front of the line although I was aware that there was a possibility of being turned away. That would mean being back here on Monday,” she said.

Nombongo Sibetho, another health worker, said although she received her vaccine, the process was disorganised.

“After I waited for four hours yesterday [on Wednesday], we were told the vaccines were finished and advised to write down our names on a list and to return today,” she said.

“I arrived at 8am and I waited in a long queue that was about half a kilometre long.”

asandam@citizen.co.za