GOVERNMENT has vowed to accelerate the Covid-19 vaccination programme to prevent further spread of the virus.
KZN Premier Sihle Zikalala said on Sunday that the Sisonke Johnson and Johnson study, also known as Phase 1A of the roll-out, is expected to end on 30 April.
‘Phase 1B will commence on 1 May and end on 16 May,’ explained Zikalala.
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‘Since Phase 1A of the vaccination process began on 18 February, and until its voluntary suspension on 12 April, the province had vaccinated a total of 51 615 health workers at 91 sites.
This included 37 457 health workers from the public sector, and the remaining 14 158 from the private sector.’
He said that, if sufficient vaccines are received, they should be able to vaccinate the remaining 81 232 public healthcare workers over the course of seven days, if they meet the provincial daily target of 11 605 workers.
Phase 2 set to commence
‘Vaccination for Phase 1 and Phase 2 will run simultaneously,’ he continued.
‘For instance, we will be vaccinating essential workers aged 40 years and above at the same time as we vaccinate people in congregant settings, and those with co-morbidities who are aged 18 years and above.’
Community structures that will be used as vaccination centres have been mapped per district, with more information set to be made available soon.
‘With a provincial daily target of 30 000 vaccinations over a five-day week, the Phase 2 vaccinations could be completed by September this year.
This will create an opportunity for us to commence Phase 3 earlier, in October 2021.’
Communities urged to register
Zikalala encouraged relatives, children, and friends of the elderly, who have familiarity with technology, to assist them with registering on the Electronic Vaccination Data System (EVDS) self-registration portal.
‘As the province, we are directing that the coming weekend be the weekend of heightened registration for vaccinations,’ said Zikalala.
‘To this end, we will visit various districts where we are champions, to monitor and assist in registering our elderly.
He said the self-registration system for people aged 60 years and over, has been live since 16 April.
‘Those who cannot self-register will be supported.
The department will use all municipal offices and mobile clinics, school health teams, community health workers, community development workers, agricultural extension officers, environmental health practitioners, traditional council secretaries, and other categories of workers, to assist in registering community members as part of the vaccination programme at district and local level.’
Training material on EVDS including a tutorial video has already been circulated to districts, and staff training began on 19 April.
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