All roads lead to more vaccines – but can SA vaccinate enough citizens in time?

Although many experts welcomed President Cyril Ramaphosa’s call “to rapidly increase the rate of vaccination this week and in the weeks that follow”, many have cautioned that vaccinations must be accelerated if new surges are to be prevented in future.

Dr Jo Barnes previously told The Citizen there was no vital reason why only those over 60 years should be vaccinated first and that all others should wait. 

“In vaccine coverage, every person vaccinated is a gain. The over 60s were chosen because they carry the highest risk of serious disease and will fill up the hospitals soonest,” she said.

ALSO READ: Covid-19: Still not enough vaccines for all South Africans

“If the vaccination drive is to be expanded to those under 60 that will not cause a medical crisis.”

In a tweet, Netcare Pulmonologist Dr Frans Skhosana said: “The answer to this crisis is mass vaccination of everyone, and later to include children. Vaccines work.

“The money spent on corrupt activities and setting up temporary beds, could’ve secured vaccines. The youngest ventilated patient in our unit is 24, without comorbidities.”

Younger people callous

However, Barnes said another driver of the outbreak was the problem of young people who think they were invincible and forgo social distancing, mask-wearing and hand washing. 

“That is a recipe for disaster,” she said.

“It was no coincidence the present wave was spreading so fast among young people, even though the young often do not get as sick as older people, they infect others, thereby spreading the outbreak.”

Barnes also said given the high risk to the elderly and the high mortality rate among them, it was essential that the vaccine drive for persons above 60 years old be completed with great speed.

ALSO READ: Covid-19 vaccines: Here’s when citizens over 50 can register

“The roll-out programme is slow and widespread problems with people being called up to vaccination sites without supplies abound, and the elderly are the most challenged when it comes to accessing an electronic data base to register,” said Barnes.

“If the first section of the population to be vaccinated is so poorly covered by the present system, how will the much larger portion under 60 years’ fare? It is of concern.”

Rapid vaccine distribution the only way

Business Leadership South Africa (BLSA) CEO Busi Mavuso agreed that the battle against the Covid-19 pandemic would only be won through the rapid distribution of vaccines.

She said the president’s call to increase the vaccination rate to 300 000 per day would be an impressive achievement.

“The extension of vaccines to the over 50s is a big step in widening access, and the focused programme to vaccinate teachers that launched last Wednesday is an important measure to ensure education is not further disrupted,” said BLSA’s weekly newsletter.

ALSO READ: SA vaccine rollout: setbacks, unreliable distribution and ageism

“The pace of the roll-out to teachers was particularly impressive with 48 000 jabs administered on the first day and a target of vaccinating all 582 000 teachers and school personnel within 10 days.”

Mavuso said the third wave was upon us and was devastating despite the vaccine successes, however, a number of people have complained local public clinics refusing to test for Covid-19.

Testing not keeping up with transmission

Gauteng Premier’s Advisory Committee on Covid-19, Dr Mary Kawonga on Thursday said the previous test positivity of 37% was extremely high, which meant that there was a very high and increasing risk of transmission in the community.

“There are many people in the community whom we have not even picked up by testing,” said Kawonga.

“Our testing is not keeping up with our of transmission in the community and that is a big concern.” 

Hospital patient Kgothatso Molefe said after a colleague tested positive, she felt a little feverish and was constantly tired.

She went to Soshanguve Block BB clinic to test and was told she had a seasonal flu and not Covid-19.

“It’s really weird that now we have to beg to be tested, when we are constantly urged to protect ourselves and those around us,” Molefe said.

ALSO READ: Gauteng Covid-19 surge spread to rest of SA ‘inevitable’, says minister

“I was turned back from two clinics in Soshanguve and I was also told they do not test on weekends or after 12pm during weekdays.” 

However, according to Barnes, this has been an ongoing problem and the country has had ample indications over the past two waves that such a scenario was happening. 

“I have not seen any strenuous efforts to address the problem – yet one more indication of reluctance of a hollowed-out public health system to cope with the pandemic disaster,” she added.

“There may be a shortage of available tests at some health care facilities. Trying to convince potential positive cases that they have seasonal flu is dangerous and irresponsible.

“These persons go back home, unaware that they are spreading Covid-19.”

reitumetsem@citizen.co.za