Social service professionals encouraged to get vaccinated
“We want to highlight that this includes all ECDs (early childhood development) both registered and unregistered with government, including centre and non-centre-based programmes.”
Just over 240 000 social service professionals have been encouraged to head out to vaccination sites.
On Monday, the Department of Social Development (DSD), the SA Social Security Agency (Sassa), the National Development Agency (NDA), and the SA Council for Social Service Professions (SACSSP) staff working at the national office were allocated to get vaccinated at Sammy Marks Square, FF Ribeiro Clinic in the Pretoria CBD.
The Minister of Social Development, Lindiwe Zulu, said the launch of its national vaccine roll-out plan targeted all provinces, except Western Cape and Limpopo, which will convene theirs on 22 and 23 July.
Zulu said given the work that social service professionals did, through daily interaction with the public and serving the most vulnerable in society, the departments of social development and health had been working hard to ensure that the social development sector was prioritised.
“In total, we anticipate that this vaccine roll-out programme will target just over 240 000 workforces throughout the sector, and this will enable business continuity of our social services currently in high demand as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.”
She said the department had been working with the ECD (early childhood development) inter-sectoral forum to ensure that no-one was left behind, given that ECDs remained open whilst schools were closed.
“We want to highlight that this includes all ECDs both registered and unregistered with government, including centre and non-centre-based programmes.”
The DSD vaccination roll-out will tackle early childhood development workforce such as
– ECD practitioners and staff,
– social workers, auxiliary social workers, student social workers who are currently doing fieldwork,
– child and youth care workers, child and youth care auxiliary workers,
– community development practitioners, and
– all social service professionals in the public, private or NGO sectors.
It would also include frontline staff working in the DSD, Sassa, the NDA and the SACSPP.
“It is important to highlight that only those who are registered on the Department of Health’s electronic vaccination data system (EVDS) system will be eligible for vaccination, as there is no paper-based registration process at vaccination sites.”
However, members registered with the SACSSP, will be preloaded on the EVDS system.
You need the following documents for the vaccination roll-out:
– Identity document or passport.
– Employee card, and practice card or receipt in the case of registered practitioners.
– Medical aid card for those who are on any medical aid.
Zulu said the sector should note that vaccinations were important for one’s own safety even though it remained voluntary.
“The department also calls upon members of the public to desist from spreading negative information about the vaccine which may cause vaccine hesitancy,” she said.
“Covid-19 vaccines are safe and effective at preventing Covid-19, especially severe illness and death. It reduces the risk of people spreading the virus that causes Covid-19 and the vaccines are a key tool in ending the pandemic and getting societies back to normal.”
KNOW YOUR REP
Gauteng, check out your list of representatives in your province. For any queries during this week’s vaccine rollout, please contact the allocated representative.#DSDVacciNATION #IChooseVacciNATION pic.twitter.com/OqRZ1GWyF2
— Social Development (@The_DSD) July 19, 2021
* Notice: Coronavirus reporting at Caxton Local Media aims to combat fake news
Dear reader,
As your local news provider, we have the duty of keeping you factually informed on Covid-19 developments.
As you may have noticed, mis- and disinformation (also known as “fake news”) is circulating online. Caxton Local Media is determined to filter through the masses of information doing the rounds and to separate truth from untruth in order to keep you adequately informed.
Local newsrooms follow a strict pre-publication fact-checking protocol. A national task team has been established to assist in bringing you credible news reports on Covid-19.
Readers with any comments or queries may contact National Group Editor Irma Green (irma@caxton.co.za) or Legal Adviser Helene Eloff (helene@caxton.co.za).
Do you have more information about the story?
Please send us an email to editorial@rekord.co.za or phone us on 083 625 4114.
For free breaking and community news, visit Rekord’s websites: Rekord East
For more news and interesting articles, like Rekord on Facebook, follow us on Twitter or Instagram
