BLOGGING THE VIEW: South Africa’s mass vaccine rollout: 5 things to know

MONDAY marked the start of South Africa’s mass vaccination campaign and the introduction of Phase 2 of the ongoing vaccination roll-out.

Up until this point, only healthcare workers were eligible for vaccinations, but the rate of vaccinations has been incredibly low.

It seems the government, working alongside the private healthcare sector, is now ramping up efforts to vaccinate a sufficient portion of the population for the required herd immunity – more than 40 million adults by February 2022.

Here are 5 things you should know about the vaccine roll-out.

1. Who is eligible?
The vaccination of healthcare workers is continuing, with the Department of Health aiming to complete the targeted 1.2 million this week. Currently, the only other citizens eligible for the vaccination are those aged 60 years and older, as they are the highest risk of becoming ill and dying from Covid-19. Phase 3 will involve vaccinating the remaining adult population of approximately 22.5 million people.

2. How to register
Everyone will be encouraged to register on the Electronic Vaccine Data System (EVDS) via one of the following:

· https://vaccine.enroll.health.gov.za/#/
· WhatsApp at 0600 123456
· SMS at *134*832#
· The toll-free Covid-19 hotline on 0800 029 999
· A QR code which will soon be available on the health department’s website

*If you are a medical aid member, you may be required to register with them as well.

3. What you must bring
You will receive an alert to let you know that you are eligible for your vaccination. You will need to bring some form of identification – ID book, driver’s licence or passport. If you are with a medical aid, you must bring your medical aid card. If you miss your appointment, it will be re-scheduled. If you miss three appointments, you will have to ask for it to be re-scheduled.

4. Which vaccine will you get?
South Africa has secured 51 million vaccines including 31 million Johnson and Johnson (single dose) and 20 million Pfizer (two-dose) vaccines. In the near future we will also receive 1.2 million vaccines from Covid-19 Vaccines Global Access, Covax. Currently, you cannot choose which vaccine you will be getting, however, they are all effective against Covid-19. If you have a two-dose vaccine, you will be told when and where the second dose will be administered.

5. What happens once I’m vaccinated?
You may experience flu-like symptoms, including a mild fever, headache and tiredness for a day or two. Once you’ve completed your vaccination course, you will get an SMS and vaccination card to prove you’ve received the vaccination. For now, mask wearing and social distancing will remain in place, even if you’re vaccinated. This will likely remain until a sufficient number of people have been vaccinated.

For more information on the vaccination campaign, visit https://www.gov.za/covid-19/vaccine

HAVE YOUR SAY

Like our Facebook page and follow us on Twitter.

For news straight to your phone invite us:

WhatsApp – 060 784 2695

Instagram – zululand_observer