The Gauteng Health Department is continuing to ramp up the weekend COVID-19 vaccination drive by opening more sites. The provincial department has opened a number of sites, including drive-by sites.
The department has expressed concern about low levels of vaccination uptake among men and has urged them to get inoculated.
“We’ve got over 30 vaccination sites that are operational this weekend, just to ensure that we give them a chance,” says Head of Communication at Gauteng Health Department, Motalatale Modiba.
Modiba says the additional sites will also enable people who are unable to get vaccinated during the week to get vaccinated over the weekend.
“There’s a number of sites where people can go in and do drive-thus. We’ve got drive-thrus in West Drive at the Sandton Islamic Association, at the Dayveton Main Clinic, we’ve just now opened another one at the Zwartkops Raceway in Pretoria and we just want to send a special message to men that there’s really nothing to be afraid of, let them come out and get vaccinated,” says Motalatale Modiba, Head of Communication at Gauteng Health Department.
#COVID19 is still in our midst protect yourself and your loved ones. Get your COVID-19 jab at any of the 30 public vaccination sites that are operational this weekend. Remember all sites accept walk-ins whether people are registered on the EVDS on not. #ichoosevaccination pic.twitter.com/RYIcCKn0mg
— Gauteng Health (@GautengHealth) August 14, 2021
Health Minister Dr Joe Phaahla has called on more men to register for the COVID-19 vaccine – saying records show a higher percentage of women having been inoculated. Over 9 million vaccines have been administered nationwide.
“Our female compatriots are leading in coming forward to be vaccinated – 60% of the women against 40% of men. So we again call on male counterparts to come forwards and register. We also continue to vaccinate at workplaces, farms and mines and factories,” says Phaahla.
The Health Department has confirmed that South Africa will experience a fourth wave of COVID-19 infections, however, details of its severity are not yet known. This was revealed during a virtual media briefing by Phaahla and his team on South Africa’s fight against COVID-19.
Health Deputy Director-General, Nicholas Crisp, says the only way to reduce the impact of the fourth wave is through vaccination.
“Up to this week, we have received Pfizer vaccines, J&J (Johnson & Johnson) and we received a large donation from the American government. We are expecting more J&J deliveries in August. We are disappointed that registrations are decreasing. Total registrations are 9.2 million. There will be a fourth wave, we have no doubt, we don’t know when, how severe or which variant but we need to protect ourselves by vaccinating. We have vaccinated 7.25 million individuals,” says Crisp.
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