Frontline workers prioritised for vaccine roll out
A total of 67 644 vaccines have been allocated to the public sector health care staff.
OVER 20 000 vaccine doses are secured and ready to be administered to frontline workers in the eThekwini District.
This follows the arrival of Oxford University’s Astra-Zeneca vaccine from the Serum Institute of India (SII), into South African shores on Monday, 1 February.
Speaking to the media, premier Sihle Zikalala, said as the province with the first confirmed Covid-19 case in the country, he was extremely delighted to be part of a giant leap marking the start “of our march towards victory against this deadly virus.
“This is a solemn moment to pause and reflect on the devastation that has been caused by Covid-19 in our lives, and to remember all our loved ones who have sadly died due to the virus, since March last year,” he said, conveying gratitude to the Government of India and its people for the solidarity and support.
A total of 67 644 vaccines have been allocated to the public sector health care staff. Due to its population size, among other factors, eThekwini District received the highest number of doses in KZN.
Health care workers and their support staff have 14 694 doses reserved while the remaining 5 666 doses will be for administrative and other staff within the healthcare sector.
“Because of them, we can now boldly say that we have an even stronger and more direct line of defence against the virus, to complement the non-pharmaceutical and therapeutic treatment interventions that we have relied on heavily in the past, which we must still not abandon.”
Zikalala added that while KZN is vaccine-ready there is a vaccination roll-out plan set which is based on guidelines set by the World Health Organisation and National Department of Health. The plan focuses on the management, distribution and dispensing of the vaccine. The vaccine is expected to arrive in the province by Sunday, 14 February. Staff in direct contact with patients will be prioritised.
“To date, the province has identified 91 vaccination sites, which will include all the public hospitals and community health centres (CHCs). These hospitals and CHCs will be responsible for the clinics, and other sites that are part of the value chain in their catchment areas.”
