Gauteng finishes 16k vaccine batch ahead of schedule

Over 16,000 healthcare workers in Gauteng have received the Johnson & Johnson (J&J) Covid-19 vaccine.

In a statement, the provincial government said all its allocated vaccines (16,800) had been administered ahead of the scheduled 14 days, set by the South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC).

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Earlier on Friday, Premier David Makhura, together with health MEC Nomathemba Mokgethi, visited the Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital to oversee the vaccination programme, led by the SAMRC.

“With great collaboration from the private sector, I am happy that we have administered all the doses allocated to the province ahead of the 14 days of the MRC schedule,” Makhura said.

Chris Hani Baragwanath administered the last of the 11,080 doses allocated to them on Friday while Steve Biko Academic Hospital in Tshwane received an additional 5000 jabs in the past week, after its 5720 allocated doses were administered.

Makhura said all systems were in place for the continuation of the vaccination programme as the next batch of vaccines was expected to arrive over the weekend.

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Four more vaccination sites would be opened early next week in the province, namely:

• Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital
• Dr George Mukhari Academic Hospital
• Netcare Milpark Private Hospital
• Ahmed Kathrada Private Hospital

Makhura, who is due to be vaccinated soon, reiterated that healthcare workers should continue to register via the Electronic Vaccine Data System (EVDS) portal.

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