More than 3 000 health workers have received vaccines in Western Cape: Mbombo

Western Cape Health MEC Nomafrench Mbombo says over 3 000 health workers have received the vaccine in the province so far.

Mbombo visited Tygerberg Hospital in Cape Town on Tuesday to oversee the vaccination of health workers.

Mbombo says the vaccination process is progressing smoothly although it is a bit slow. She says the process is part of a research study to oversee results.

“Whilst we want for things to move faster, but because this is an implementation study by Sisonke, which is done by J&J medical research council, you will find that there might be some delays; for example, the availability of the pharmacist from the research,” says Mbombo.

Thirteen thousand doses have been allocated for this study and are to be rolled out within a period of two weeks.

COVID-19 Pandemic | Healthcare workers in Khayelitsha start receiving vaccine:

Tygerberg Hospital accounts for at least 7 000 of the total staff in the province that need to be vaccinated.

“The process is extremely complicated because it’s still part of protocols to be observed because the vaccine, when it comes to the facility, is escorted with police security. Only research pharmacists are allowed to draw up the vaccine and to label it and the vaccine drawn up through the pharmacist goes to a specific patient,” says Sonia Botha, Support Project Manager.

Those who have already received the vaccine say they are excited and positive.

“I just received my COVID vaccine and I feel very good after I received my vaccine. No side effects,” says a health worker.

“After the vaccine, I still feel the same, only that it’s painful as the injection should, but besides that, no abnormality or anything. I am actually quite happy to be vaccinated because my doctor informed me I need to be vaccinated. So, I am happy that we got an opportunity to be vaccinated first,” says another health worker.

The study in the Western Cape is currently being conducted at Tygerberg Hospital, Groote Schuur and Khayelitsha.

The target is to vaccinate at least 500 health workers per day at Tygerberg and Groote Schuur and 100 in Khayelitsha.

Western Cape government plans to vaccinate five million people: