GARDEN ROUTE NEWS - Vaccinations of healthcare workers with the Johnson & Johnson (J&J) vaccine in the Sisonke trial at George Hospital will resume on Friday 30 April.
South Africa suspended the trial temporarily on 13 April for Sahpra (South African Health Products Regulatory Authority) to consider the safety of the vaccine after six out of over six million people in the US vaccination programme suffered a clotting disorder. No instances of blood clots were reported in South Africa among healthcare workers already vaccinated.
In the Garden Route, Alma CDC (in Mossel Bay), Harry Comay Hospital (George), Plettenberg Bay Clinic and Oudtshoorn Hospital will be used in addition to George Hospital as vaccination sites over the next three weeks in the Sisonke programme.
"When Phase 2 starts, multiple sites will be opened across the districts," said Roche Butler, a communications officer from the Western Cape Health Department.
It is expected that 325 560 doses of the J&J vaccine will arrive in South Africa before 17 May, when Phase 2 of vaccinations (people older than 60) is due to start.
In the Garden Route, several thousand residents in this age band have registered up till Tuesday 27 April: in George 4 557, Plettenberg Bay 1 984, Mossel Bay 5 175, and in Knysna 3 580.
The Western Cape is aiming to vaccinate nearly five million people.
The resumption of vaccinations was granted on the condition that all participants be informed of the rare clotting disorder risk and they need to reconsent to participating.
Sahpra has recommended that pregnant and breastfeeding women should be excluded from the trial at this stage.
222 active cases in Garden Route
The number of confirmed active cases in the Garden Route stood at 222 on Tuesday 27 April, just one case more than a week ago. The figures for the individual towns are as follows: George 89, Mossel Bay 18, Knysna 19, Oudtshoorn 62, Bitou 16, Hessequa 12 and Kannaland 6.
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