South Africans 18 years and older can get vaccinated from Friday, 20 August.
Cabinet gave the green light today (Thursday, 19 August), approving the inoculation of adults 18 years and older.
President Cyril Ramaphosa announced last month that the 18-34-year-old cohort would be allowed to register for vaccination from 1 September.
Earlier this week, health minister Dr Joe Phaahla said during a radio interview with 702 however that the last group of the adult population could begin to receive their jabs as early as the end of the week.
READ: Vaccinations for all adults may open this week
Cabinet’s approval of his request comes after vaccine sites had been experiencing quiet spells in the past weeks. South Africa has administered just under 10 million vaccines to date.
Third wave is stabilising
As Mzansi looks towards the end of the third wave, the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) has emphasised the importance of Covid-19 vaccinations.
The NICD’s head of public health surveillance and response, Dr Michelle Groome said, “Vaccine supply and the number of vaccination sites have increased, and it is up to the public to ensure that they present for vaccination.”
According to NICD acting executive director Professor Adrian Puren, there is a decrease in the number of new daily cases and percent testing positive nationally. However, there are some differences in trends at a provincial level.
Gauteng, Limpopo, North West and Mpumalanga have seen decreases in case numbers, while the other five provinces have either increasing or sustained numbers of new cases.
Puren noted, “The Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal and the Western Cape provinces still appear to be on the upward slope of the third wave, although the Western Cape is showing early signs of reaching the peak of their third wave, whereas the Free State and Northern Cape provinces continue to see a steady number of new cases.”
South Africa recorded 14 728 new Covid-19 cases according to the latest available 24-hour stats, bringing the total number of laboratory-confirmed cases to 2 638 981.
As per the national department of health, a further 384 Covid-19-related deaths have been reported, bringing the total fatalities to 78 377 to date.
Most new cases are from the Western Cape (27%), followed by KwaZulu-Natal (25%).
The Eastern Cape accounted for 13%, Gauteng for 12%, the Free State for 7%, Mpumalanga and North West for 5% each the Northern Cape for 4% and Limpopo for 3% of the new cases.
“While many may feel that the third wave is abating based on the national picture, adherence to the current adjusted level 3 restrictions and preventative measures remain essential,” Groome said.
How to get vaccinated:
Those who are eligible can register via walk-in from Friday, 20 August, provided they bring their ID documents or relevant identity cards along. No pre-registration is required. Eligible individuals will be vaccinated on presentation of the following:
- South African identification card/South African residents permit/passport if a foreign national
- Proof of employment (staff identity, staff card or a letter from the head of the institution)
- Medical aid details (if applicable)
