The Health Department will keep pop-up vaccination sites at border posts open until 15 January 2022.

“The border post based vaccination sites will enable people to conveniently vaccinate while waiting in the queue to cross the border,” the department said in a statement on Monday.

The Presidency, along with the Departments of Health and Transport, clinical operator Vikelizizwe, have been working together to take vaccination services – through pop-up vaccination sites – to the people during the festive season, targeting people travelling along major routes and cross border.

“This campaign started on 23 December 2021 and these designated vaccination sites will continue to provide vaccination service until 15 January 2022 at two of our main border posts, namely, Lebombo border (Mpumalanga/Mozambique) and Ficksburg Border (Free State/Lesotho),” the department said.

The department said there is no need to register beforehand and anyone living in the area where these border posts are situated will be able to receive vaccination services, including booster shots, as long as they produce any form of verifiable identity document, passport or birth certificate, especially children between 12 and 17 years old.

The department has reiterated that vaccines remain the most effective weapon against severe illness, hospitalisation and death due to COVID-19 infection.

However, the department said it is also important to continue practising non-pharmaceutical interventions at all times, such as a wearing mask, regular hand washing/sanitising, maintaining social distance and avoiding crowded places without sufficient ventilation.

Source: South African Government News Agency