Filippo Monteforte/AFP

Faizel Patel – 22/05/2021

(Twitter: @FaizelPatel143)

The Gauteng Health Department says the support for the COVID-19 vaccination rollout among the elderly has been positive.

The department has urged residents living in suburbs such as Lenasia, to resigster for the Pfizer vaccine.

The vaccine rollout plan has been extended to include not only healthcare workers, but also individuals over 60.

It is feared that Gauteng will see the harshest impact of the third wave of COVID-19.

Speaking to Radio Islam, Gauteng Health Department spokesperson Kwara Kekana says they are encouraged by the attitude of the elderly to get inocculaed.

“They’ve really been in the forefront of also wanting to be those who protect themselves and their families against COVID-19. They’ve really been wonderful, their spirits are really up, they want to go to vaccination sites, they are laughing, they are cracking jokes which is really amazing.”

Following a message to Radio Islam that there was alleged mayhem at the Lenasia extension 5 clinic during the vaccine rollout, Kekana has urged the elderly to register for the jab.

“We really don’t want a situation especially with the temperatures dropping in Gauteng and other parts of the country having the elderly people just stand in long queues at our vaccination sites. We are pleading with communities to please register on the EVDS system, get your appointment and come through to the vaccination sites to vaccinate. This is quite important and let us assist the elderly to make sure they are registered.”

Kekana says despite not being registered, the health department does not turn people away if they arrive for the vaccine at a clinic.

“We had overwhelming number of people coming through to some of these vaccination sites in the Lenasia area. So what we do is we don’t turn people away, but you are the one that becomes inconvenient because you than need to form a line where we then need to register you first on the EVDS system. It takes quite a while.”

Kekana says there are a specified number of vaccine doses allocated to each site adding that if there is an increase in attendance for those registered to take the jab, the Gauteng Health Department will activate the regional pharmacies to dispatch additional vaccines to accommodate more elderly.

Listen to the interview with Kwara Kekana