17 390 vaccines administered in the past 24 hours: Health Department

The Department of Health says 17 390 vaccines have been administered in the last 24 hour reporting period.

This is far below the weekday vaccination rates of around 200 000.

President Cyril Ramaphosa has said that his government hopes to vaccinate up to 300 000 people a day.

A total of more than 7.5 million vaccines have been administered so far.

This contribution comes timely for us as we prepare to move to younger age cohort of 18 in September. Today’s donation contributes to security of supply to meet the demands we have to reach our set milestones and vaccinate a majority of the population soon #VaccineRollOutSA pic.twitter.com/lC75JLGYEM

— Department of Health (@HealthZA) July 31, 2021

Close to three million people are now fully vaccinated with either two shots of the Pfizer vaccine or a single dose of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.

US donates 5.7 million Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine doses to SA:

Meanwhile, health activist and president of the Association of Medical Council of Africa Dr Kgosi Letlape has warned medical aid schemes against discriminating against members who opt not to vaccinate.

He says people should be offered an opportunity to make their own choices.

“Now the notion that you could begin to discriminate against people because of the choices they make is a violation of human rights. Discrimination is something that we should not tolerate in this country, whether it is done by corporate, whether it is done by government, or whether it is done by those in power. When people begin to introduce factors like if you are vaccinated or if you are not vaccinated we are going to increase premiums against you that is something that should not be tolerated,” says Letlape.