On Sunday, 21 February, chaos erupted when hundreds of health care workers who struggled to register online turned up to be vaccinated at the Steve Biko Academic Hospital, a vaccination centre. This resulted in health care workers who did register to be turned away without being vaccinated. Phase 1 of the vaccination programme started last week, and every effort will be made to complete this phase by the end of April.

Prof. Glenda Gray, president of the South African Medical Research Council and co-leader of the phase-3 study of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine in South Africa, said that the programme has been successful so far. The goal is to vaccinate 6 600 people daily. On Sunday, 5 000 people were vaccinated at Steve Biko Hospital, which was a great achievement. By Sunday evening, 18 vaccination centres were accredited and about 15 380 health care workers throughout the country were vaccinated. Although there were challenges at the Steve Biko Hospital, the vaccinations at other centres went smoothly. Gray added that she knew people were anxious, but she ensured health care workers that the online system will become easier to use. The state realises that the online system plays an important role in the deployment of vaccines. Therefore, they are hard at work to improve the system and to avoid the chaos of the past week. A scheduling system is planned where the vaccination site, date as well as a time slot can be specified. People will therefore be able to make an appointment ahead of time to receive the vaccination.

On Saturday, another 80 000 doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccines will be delivered. Health Minister Zweli Mkhize says South Africa is working with 87 other countries to win the battle against Covid-19. Senior health experts coordinating the vaccination programme have asked health workers to remain calm and assured them that they will be vaccinated.

Sources:

Pressure mounts to streamline Covid-19 vaccine appointment system: https://www.salabournews.co.za/55775-pressure-mounts-to-streamline-covid-19-vaccine-appointment-system

Mkhize: Next batch of vaccines arrive on Saturday: https://www.msn.com/en-za/news/national/mkhize-next-batch-of-vaccines-arrive-on-saturday/ar-BB1dWAT3?ocid=msedgntp

Healthcare workers clamouring to get Covid-19 vaccinations urged to remain calm because ‘all will be helped’: https://www.salabournews.co.za/55782-healthcare-workers-clamouring-to-get-covid-19-vaccinations-urged-to-remain-calm-because-all-will-be-helped

Health-care workers clamouring to get Covid-19 vaccination urged to remain calm: https://www.timeslive.co.za/news/south-africa/2021-02-22-health-care-workers-clamouring-to-get-covid-19-vaccination-urged-to-remain-calm/

Pressure mounts to improve Covid-19 vaccine appointment system: https://www.businesslive.co.za/bd/national/health/2021-02-22-pressure-mounts-to-improve-covid-19-vaccine-appointment-system/