By Kaya 959 News
Initially, those inoculated with the Pfizer vaccine were told that they would need to wait three weeks however that has changed.
Health MEC in KwaZulu-Natal said although it was initially said that the interval between the first and second doses of the Pfizer vaccine should be 21 days, the World Health Organization and the National Department of Health have said that this can be extended to 42 days.
“Especially if there are challenges with the supply of the vaccine doses,” Nomagugu Simelane said.
READ: COVID-19 in SA: 5,782 new cases recorded and 110 deaths
She said the 42-day interval will enable more people to get their first doses of the vaccine, and then the second when more doses become available.
“We are explaining this so as to eliminate confusion among elderly people, especially when they arrive at our sites and get given a date that appears to be distant,” she said.
“We want to ensure that as many people as possible get the vaccine, so that they can benefit from it. We are also appealing to younger people who are techno-savvy to help the elderly with registration, and to staff at our health facilities to assist the elderly with registration when they get there,” Simelane said.
More vaccination sites
Gauteng Health revealed that more vaccination sites will be launched soon. More than 400 000 people have registered on the EVD System.
“A total of 291 120 people have been vaccinated,” the department said.
Gauteng has almost 500 000 confirmed COVID-19 cases with just under 12 000 deaths.
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Meanwhile, KZN has emerged as one of the leading provinces with a high number of people who have been vaccinated as part of the second phase of the COVID-19 vaccination programme.
“We are observing that there is a growing demand for people to be vaccinated and the capacity we have created in the province is able to cope with the numbers. That is why we are rapidly rolling out the programme to more sites,” he said.
This week, Health Minister Dr Zweli Mkhize announced that SA has vaccinated more than one million people.
“Therefore, today it is my pleasure to announce that we have breached the million mark and have vaccinated 1 045 104 individuals. I wish to thank all those involved in the vaccination campaign, from the Director General of Health to each and every vaccinator continuing to battle it out for the nation in the frontline,” Mkhize said.
He said his department will continue to ramp up daily vaccinations, working together with the private sector, towards attaining the targets they have committed to as government.
