Staff Reporter.
The Gauteng health department will open four vaccination sites in Ekurhuleni and Johannesburg on Sunday.
The department confirmed vaccines will be administered at Phola Park Community Healthcare Centre, Daveyton Main Community Healthcare Centre and Kobie Muller Hall in Ekurhuleni between 09:00 and 14:00.
Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital Recreational Centre will be open for vaccinations between 08:00 and 13:00.
“Various sites will be operational [on Sunday], and all those who are eligible to get vaccinated are urged to make use of this opportunity to protect themselves and their loved ones. It is important that we get as many eligible people as possible to go and get vaccinated,” said Gauteng health department spokesperson Motalatale Modiba.
A lack of weekend vaccinations had been pinpointed as a weakness in the national vaccine rollout plan.
Government has taken steps to ensure that we simplify the registration process and even the process to get vaccinated, and therefore we are making a call that, if you are eligible to get vaccinated, visit our vaccination sites this weekend.”
Already the first group of people have gotten their jab at the Baragwanath Hospital Recreational Centre. In the first hour alone over 200 people were vaccinated.
Gauteng’s various sites are operational today allowing those who are eligible to get vaccinated.#IChooseVaccination pic.twitter.com/XaCcintppY
— Gauteng Health (@GautengHealth) July 18, 2021
The department will be employing various options, such as opening over the weekends, pop up sites and mass vaccination sites, as part of a drive to make vaccination more accessible, Modiba added.
“Vaccines are important because they help protect against severe illnesses and hospitalisation.”
Modiba urged residents to adhere to non-pharmaceutical interventions, such as wearing a mask, keeping a safe physical distance, washing hands regularly with soap, or using a hand sanitiser.
Gauteng continues to be the epicentre with worst affected by the virus, with 811 841 cases recorded since the start of the pandemic.