Picture: iStock
Acting Health Minister Mmamaloko Kubayi-Ngubane and a panel of experts held a media briefing on the government’s Covid-19 response, specifically with regards to South Africa’s vaccine roll-out programme.
Kubayi-Ngubane said the department was encouraged by the increase in COVID-19 vaccinations per day, but had been receiving a number of requests from citizens to prioritise a certain sector of the population.
Therefore, South Africans between the ages of 35 and 49 would be able to register for vaccines electronically from 15 July, with the rollout expected to commence from 1 August.
The health minister said they were increasing mobilisation in the provinces with the aim of encouraging people to be vaccinated.
ALSO READ: Gauteng hospitals become Covid-19 hotspots, as excess deaths skyrocket
Dr Nicholas Crisp from the National Health Insurance (NHI) confirmed that there were currently 3.6 million vaccine doses ready for use in South Africa as of Thursday (8 July), both Johnson & Johnson (J&J) and Pfizer.
The country has approximately 18 days’ worth of vaccines left, which is the strongest position we’ve been in, to date.
Some doses are centrally distributed, while hospitals, clinics, community health sectors and the private sector account for the remainder.
Going forward, Dr Crisp said Pfizer doses are expected on 26 July, with another delivery scheduled for August.
South Africa reported 22,910 new Covid-19 cases on Thursday, bringing the total reported cases now to 2,135,246, while deaths have reached 63,499.
At the time of publishing, recoveries had reached 1,862,900, leaving the country with a balance of 208,847 active cases. The total number of vaccines administered now exceeds four million.
Gauteng continues to be the epicentre of the third wave of Covid-19 infections, with Prof Tulio de Oliveira saying the province is “not out of the woods” just yet.
NOW READ: Pfizer wants to increase required vaccine shots to three, to boost efficacy
Download our app and read this and other great stories on the move. Available for Android and iOS.
