Western Cape Health authorities have urged people who’ve registered for the COVID-19 vaccine, not to go to vaccination sites until they receive an SMS. The SMS is expected to be sent out within the next two to three weeks.
Head of the provincial Health Department, Keith Cloete, says over 30 000 doses of the Pfizer vaccine will be allocated to the province on a weekly basis.
He says over 200 000 people over the age of 60 have already registered for a jab.
“You cannot have 100 people over the age of 60, standing in the sun and standing for three hours in a place; we cannot have that,” says Cloete.
Cloete says the department is trying to be as organised as possible.
“Please come when we ask you to come because we are going to prepare. We will be doing it in the most dignified way that we don’t keep you too long, that we make sure that you are treated in a dignified fashion and it will happen as quickly and as seamlessly for your own health, being mindful that you are at risk of COVID-19 as well,” says Cloete.
Resurgence of infections
On Thursday, authorities said the Western Cape is officially experiencing a resurgence of COVID-19 infections. In the past seven days, there has been a marked increase of 20% in cases across the province, especially in more affluent areas.
Authorities said the higher numbers were mainly driven by affluent areas and are associated with golf and bowling clubs.
Western Cape Premier Alan Winde urged people to flatten the curve.
“Please, take your responsibility very very seriously. Let’s keep flattening this curve, let’s make sure that we are playing our part. We saw what happened in India, we saw how mass religious gatherings, political gatherings became these super spreader events. We know what they are, we’re moving beyond bushfires into a resurgence that means we must be much more vigilant to keep this curve as flat as possible,” says Winde.
Western Cape experiences a resurgence of COVID-19 infections:
The Health Department says the death toll from COVID-19 related complications has surpassed 55 000 after another 44 people succumbed to the disease in the latest 24-hour reporting period.
The department says that 3 221 new COVID-19 infections have been recorded, taking the cumulative number of cases to over 1 605 000.
The recovery rate now stands at 1 520 878.
Latest SA COVID-19 stats:
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