Sun City becomes SA’s first hospitality sector vaccination site

South Africa’s ongoing vaccination efforts have taken yet another step forward, as Sun City Resort’s Convention Centre gears up to open the country’s first tourism and hospitality industry Covid-19 workplace vaccination site.

According to a statement issued by the resort, Sun City aims to vaccinate 7,500 people in three phases. 

“We will start with Sun City staff, service providers and concessionaires, before offering the vaccine to their family members, and finally, to all those working at hospitality establishments in the Moses Kotane District,” explained Sun City general manager Brett Hoppe. 

The resort also announced that the vaccination drive would include an outreach programme to target other locals from the surrounding area.

“We obviously want to protect our staff, but it is equally important to us to ensure that people living in our local communities are looked after and are safe.”

The Sun International property will follow the government roll-out plan in terms of age groups and said that more than 1,000 staff members – aged 50 years and older – had already been identified as eligible vaccine candidates. 

Hoppe said Sun City was in the process of collecting data on the 35-to-49-year age group, who have been allowed to receive the vaccine since 15 July. 

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Those with medical aids would have the cost of the vaccine deducted from their available funds, while the Department of Health will cover the cost of non-members.

The Sun City hospitality industry vaccination site has already been inspected by the Department of Health and given approval to operate until December.

Sun City may not even need that much time, however, as they aim to complete the programme within two months.

“We will have 15 vaccinators on site, who can each vaccinate 50 people per day. We will start with five vaccinators for 200 people for the first three days to iron out any potential glitches and then increase capacity,” said Hoppe before adding: “But we don’t anticipate any problems. Sun City is used to hosting events of the size and magnitude of the Nedbank Golf Challenge, so we are confident that the preparations for our vaccination site will be seamless.”

According to the general manager, screening and registration would be done in the convention centre’s assembly area, where 14 people would be served at a time.

“Warrior’s Hall will be used for electronic vaccination data system confirmation and pre-vaccination vitals, while the Superbowl will be used as the vaccination, discharge and observation areas. Medics will be on hand to assist people should they show any sign of an allergic reaction, or to transport them to the nearby hospital.”

Sun City reassured that the venue had been divided to accommodate the different sections, in accordance with capacity regulations, and sufficient storage capacity for the vaccines as provided by the Department of Health has been provided. 

Sun City Resort’s tourism and hospitality industry Covid-19 workplace vaccination programme will begin from Saturday, 24 July.

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