Cape Town - Spring has sprung. However, Health MEC Nomafrench Mbombo has cautioned against letting our guard down amid the new season with increased social interactions, urging residents to get vaccinated first.
Mbombo launched the #JabsBeforeJol campaign, yesterday at the Rands in Khayelitsha.
The campaign aims to encourage people to get vaccinated before socialising, which colloquially can be to referred to as ’a jol’.
“Khayelitsha was not the hardest hit by the third and second wave so people will make an assumption, ’because at least we have the lowest (infections) I am still safe’, forgetting that when there is a fourth wave, probably they will end up having more of the exposure,” said Mbombo.
“When you are vaccinated, at least it prevents mutation when we speak about different variants.”
Mbombo said it was essential for community healthcare workers to reach those who are bedridden, especially in informal settlements and others who cannot reach a vaccination site.
Meanwhile, the ANC shadow health MEC Rachel Windvogel said the ANC was concerned over the slow pace of vaccinations in poor, working class communities.
“With over five million people to be vaccinated in the province, nearly seven months later, not even one million people are fully vaccinated,” said Windvogel.
“In July, the ANC picked up that the registration for the persons in the 50-59 age bracket was very low in the poor, working class communities. Whereas over 200 000 people were registered for vaccination in mid-July, we could have picked up the trend that disadvantaged communities in the Metro like Khayelitsha, Mitchell’s Plain and Klipfontein were registering low numbers.”
Windvogel was in Mitchells Plain on Tuesday and yesterday and claimed the roll-out had an elitist approach in the province.
The Western Cape has recorded 32 152 active cases of infections, 495 849 confirmed cases with 445 292 recoveries as at 1pm on Wednesday.
To date, 18 405 people have died due to Covid-19 complications.
The province had administered 1 961 598 Covid-19 vaccinations as at 1pm yesterday.
The Electronic Vaccination Data System (EVDS) now allows for people to book their own appointment date, vaccination site and timeslot.