Western Cape Health to ramp up vaccination drive

The Western Cape Health department says it will ramp up the province’s vaccination drive this week after receiving over 190 000 doses of the Pfizer vaccine.

Nearly two hundred sites are expected to be in operation, with the Cape Town International Convention Centre, mass vaccination site due to open in July.

The site is expected to be one of the largest in the country. The megasite boasts sophisticated cold-chain refrigeration, waste management and the capability to administer both the Pfizer and Johnson and Johnson vaccines.

Authorities say over 750 000 vaccinations can be administered at the centre over a six month period. The site will service those with and without medical aid.

“This site will be able to do around about 4 000 vaccines per day and hopefully we could even ramp it up even more but that’s the initial scope of the operation. We will have a number of other sites we got a private sector site out at Parc du cap on the n1 and we are busy with the plans of a site at the aAthone stadium this will be both walk in and drive though so it really is good to have these megasites at the same time we will also have medium sites, both government and private sector “, says Western Cape Premiere, Alan Winde.

Vaccination in the province slowed down in recent weeks amid a shortage of vaccine supplies. But, with a large number of doses received this past week, authorities are now aiming to vaccinate 180 000 people over the next two weeks.

Winde explains: “For the whole month from the 17th of may till the 18 of June the province received 294 840 vaccines so looking at the number now it is promising and I really hope that we will now be able to catch up because of the shortage of vaccines in the last two or three weeks. ”

As the third wave rages on, Winde has urged residents to practice life-saving behaviors

“We also need to make sure that everybody stays safe at this time please try to stay in your bubbles make sure we avoid crowded areas if you need to go out please make sure you spend a short time as possible say at your shopping centre please try to keep whatever you do outside .”

Western Cape health department to ramp up its vaccination drive:

Active cases are nearing 17 000, with nearly 1 500  people hospitalised in the province.

Infographic: Latest COVID-19 cases in South Africa