Covid-19 elderly vaccination roll-out well underway in Tshwane

Things got off to a slow start at the Eersterust Welfare for the Aged vaccination point, as people aged 60 and above pitched up for their Covid jab on Monday morning.

This as the Tshwane’s Covid-19 vaccination roll-out, aimed at vaccinating over 300 000 people, got off to a smooth start.

Members of the general public braced Monday’s windy weather to line up to get the Covid-19 jab at the vaccination point, one five in the city.

“It started slowly but picked up during the day,” said Tshwane primary health care manager Dr Mpho Shabangu.

“Considering everything, we are happy with the start of the vaccine roll-out. As the day progressed, we gained momentum; we are very happy with how the day went.”

Shabangu was confident health workers would “hit the ground running” after Monday’s experience and the roll-out would gather momentum.

“We are also targeting old age homes throughout this week where the elderly will get their shots.”

Tshwane had a daily target to administer a minimum of 468 per day in the region, which would see about 2 340 vaccines administered in a week.

“As the number of infections is steadily increasing, we want to protect the elderly as they are at high risk when infected with the virus. Many of them also live with comorbidities. With this, it was important that we prioritise them.”

Despite fears that many people who were not registered in advance would show up at the sites, Shabangu said only “a few” elderly people walked at the centres and were also assisted with registration.

“Others went to our clinics that were not even vaccination centres. We had to go to the community radio stations to urge our elderly to first register and they would get SMSes to inform them where to go for the vaccine.”

While some of the people who got their shots said they were nervous before getting their shots, they said they were happy afterwards without experiencing any side-effects.

Norma Nel (64) said she lost one of her closest friends at the welfare home to Covid-19 which made her decide to get the vaccine.

“That was one of my most heartbreaking moments losing my dear friend. I am so relieved and feel blessed by the grace of God to have received the vaccine.”

Anne October (72) said she was scared before receiving the vaccine, but was “absolutely happy” after taking it.

“I was scared because of the stories told about the vaccine, but I placed everything in God’s hands. At the end of it all, I was more scared of getting infected than the vaccine because of so many people dying from it.”

October said she felt “completely fine, with feeling nothing out of the ordinary,” after taking the vaccine.

Mavis Phillips (74) said taking the jab was to safeguard her health.

“I do not feel any headaches or pain, I feel perfect.”

Charles Mashaba (77) said the decision to vaccinate remains a person’s own choice.

Tshwane health MMC Sakkie du Plooy said the metro anticipated that the roll-out of phase two and wrapping the vaccination of health workers would take “some time” to complete.

“Phase 2 has a large number of people that need to be vaccinated and it might take a long time to complete.”

According to Statistics SA mid-year statistics in 2020 Gauteng had a population of 15.5-million people.

On Sunday, health minister Dr Zweli Mkhize said they anticipated the vaccination of five million senior citizens targeted to be completed by the end of June.

Researchers at the Covid command council in Gauteng have urged the government to focus on vaccinating elderly citizens whom they believe were more at risk of dying in a case of an infection.

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