Citizens over 35 can now walk in at private Covid-19 vaccination sites

Business for South Africa (B4SA) has announced that all private-sector vaccination sites across South Africa are now accepting walk-ins from anyone who is eligible to get the Covid-19 vaccine.

B4SA indicated that this included those 35 years of age and above, regardless of whether they have medical aid or not.

“Sites will accept anyone for vaccination who has an ID, passport or other form of identification, regardless of their nationality,” the group said in a statement on Monday.

The sites include independent community pharmacies and corporate pharmacy chains, such as Dis-Chem and Clicks, medical scheme vaccination sites and private hospitals.

ALSO READ: Lesufi unimpressed with empty vaccination sites on weekends

B4SA also confirmed that while sites would prioritise those with scheduled appointments and those over the age of 60, no person above the age of 35 is required to pre-register before visiting a site for a vaccination.

Private sites are ensuring that staff are equipped and ready to assist people in registering once they arrive.

However, to save time and prevent a long wait in queues, the public is encouraged to pre-register on the Electronic Vaccination Data System (EVDS) before visiting a site for vaccination, it said.

The group further said it would also distribute an updated list regularly, and the list will be available on its website.

Here is the full list of private sector vaccination sites

Private Sector Vaccination Sites by Molefe Seeletsa on Scribd

The government has adopted an age based-strategy to administering vaccines, with citizens 35 years and older eligible to receive their jabs.

Citizens between the ages of 18 and 34 will be vaccinated from 1 September.

In July, President Cyril Ramaphosa confirmed that the country would receive around 31 million additional doses from Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson within the next two to three months.

The US government has also donated 5.7 million doses of the Pfizer vaccine to South Africa.

South Africa would be “able to have vaccinated, at least one dose, 35 million people before Christmas”, according to National Health Insurance (NHI) deputy director-general Dr Nicholas Crisp.