The Gauteng government has welcomed the positive response to the vaccination drive, as the province races to reach the milestone of administering two million doses of COVID-19 vaccines.
The latest data from the Health Department show that as of 2 August, the province had distributed 1 903 497 vaccines.
Gauteng Health MEC, Dr Nomathemba Mokgethi, said the province is planning to increase vaccination sites to get as many people vaccinated as possible.
“The fact that we have gone over one million people vaccinated in July and are fast approaching two million talks to the high demand in communities to get vaccinated and the urgency with which we are approaching the vaccination rollout programme,” the MEC said.
As part of ramping up the inoculation rollout programme, the provincial government said they have expanded the number of public vaccination centres, 17 of which are open on weekends.
The Gauteng Health Department said nine of the vaccination centres that are operational on weekends are based in Tshwane, with three each in Ekurhuleni and Johannesburg, and two in Sedibeng.
All sites operate from morning to around lunchtime, with half of the sites operating on Saturdays, while the others on Sundays.
The provincial department said 5 449 vaccines have been administered at these sites over the weekend.
Mokgethi has since applauded the vaccination teams and the various partners in the public and private sectors, including non-governmental organisations, for embracing the inoculation drive as a national responsibility.
“We have diverse vaccination sites, including those that are fixed and open weekly during normal working hours; mass vaccination sites catering for large volumes and drive-through sites allowing people to get to the jab in the comfort of their transportation.”
The province has mobile sites that move from one area to the next, depending on the programme of the vaccination campaign.
Mokgethi encouraged all those eligible to be vaccinated to visit the publicised sites.
“All Gauteng sites accept walk-ins, whether people are registered on the Electronic Vaccination Data System or not.”
Source: South African Government News Agency