Vaccinating systems readied in Western Cape

WESTERN CAPE NEWS - The Western Cape government is working hard to ensure that everything is in place and all systems are ready to begin vaccinating as soon as possible, according to Dr Keith Cloete, head of Health.

Speaking during Premier Alan Winde's weekly digital conference on 27 January, Cloete said the vaccines are expected to arrive in the provinces in the next two weeks.

Dr Zweli Mkhize, national Health Minister, has said that the first one million doses are expected to arrive in South Africa on 1 February.

Before the first vaccines can be administered, Sahpra (South African Health Products Regulatory Authority) needs to conduct a quality control process, which it has said will be accelerated. The Biovac Institute will then distribute the vaccines to the provinces.

"Once here, the Western Cape Department of Health will be responsible for their distribution. This will be undertaken by our Central Medical Depot. The depot will distribute vaccines to our provincial healthcare facilities, City of Cape Town facilities as well as to the private sector facilities," said Cloete.

During the first phase of vaccinations, an estimated target of 105 000 people will be vaccinated.

During this phase, health care workers in the public and private sector, care workers, community health care workers, health science students and traditional healers will be vaccinated.

Cloete said out of 1 680 staff members who responded to a rapid poll, 79% had said they wanted to be vaccinated.

In the second phase, the target is to vaccinate two million people who will include essential workers, people in congregated settings, those over 60 years, and those over 18 years with comorbidities. In phase three, a further estimated 2,9 million people over 18 years are to be vaccinated.

A registry of healthcare workers is being created and once this system is activated, individuals will be able to present themselves for vaccination through some mechanism such as an app. Province is also working with the City of Cape Town and private sector that are doing something similar, he said.