Health MEC first in Free State to take Covid-19 shot
Free State MEC of Health, Montseng Tsiualong, with Head of the Department Dr David Motau, took the Johnson & Johnson Covid-19 vaccine at Universitas Academic Hospital on Wednesday.
This after President Cyril Ramaphosa and the Minister of Health Zweli Mkhize were vaccinated in Cape Town with the long awaited vaccine yesterday.
According to Provincial Health Spokesperson Mondli Mvambi, the department encourages healthcare workers to receive their shots in order to build immunity against Covid-19.
“These leaders of Health in the Free State encouraged health workers to voluntarily enlist to be vaccinated as part of the national drive to build herd immunity. Building herd immunity in the Free State means that 67% of the population, which is 1,9 million of the 2,9 million people in the Free State, will be vaccinated to ensure that they are safe from getting the virus,” he said.
The vaccination drive will start with health care workers and will thereafter be rolled out to other sections of the population in line with the National Rollout Plan.
“MEC Tsiu and HOD Dr. Motau felt the need to take the vaccine first to give health care workers reasons to believe that there is nothing sinister about this vaccine because it has passed both the test of safety and efficacy,” concluded Mvambi.
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