The University of Cape (UCT) Town has launched its community of Hope Vaccination Site at the university’s Forrest Hill Residence, in Mowbray. The site is now open to students as well as members of the public.
UCT Vice-Chancellor, Mamokgethi Phakeng, has described the opening of the university’s Community of Hope Vaccination site at its Forest Hill Residence in Mowbray, as a proud moment for the institution.
She says the site is one example of how UCT is serving the surrounding community. The site will be able to administer 75 injections per hour at full capacity.
Phakeng says students and staff at UCT as well as community members and travellers who pass through the area will all be allowed to receive vaccines at the site.
“It’s a proud moment for us because we do science and we believe in the power of science and actually to get a vaccine ready in such a short space of time, it’s a celebration of science. But this celebration of science means nothing if we cannot actually make the vaccination accessible to people, and so it’s a proud moment that as a place of science, we are able to make vaccinations accessible; not only to our UCT community but to the community around Rondebosch and in the Western Cape.”
Convenience for students
Some students at UCT say the convenience and ease of access which the site offers, will make it easier for them to receive their vaccination.
Politics and Law student, Retshedisitswe Molefe, says the site is ideally located.
“It’s very convenient. I think I’m grateful for that because going out to other places, you can get lazy as a student. But it’s at your door. So, you have no excuse to not get vaccinated.”
The Western Cape Government says the site will also make it easier for people in the area to get vaccinated.
Premier Alan Winde says a decision regarding whether the tourism and hospitality industries can open fully in December will be largely dependent on the number of vaccines that the province shall have administered by then.
“We’ve got only a short period between now and the risk of the fourth wave, but of course, the risk of the fourth wave coming in summer season when our hospitality industry needs to get back on their feet. So, it’s up to all of us. Our responsibility is to get that percentage of jabs up so that we can have a summer season.”
Close to two million COVID-19 vaccine doses have been administered in the Western Cape thus far.
I have taken part in the launch of the UCT Community of Hope Vaccination Centre today. I commend the university who, in partnership with the Western Cape Government, established this world class vaccination facility. pic.twitter.com/NMl5Ihm7hc
— Premier Alan Winde 🇿🇦 (@alanwinde) August 30, 2021
