Given the intensity of the third wave of infection and spread of the delta variant, we must do all we can to vaccinate more people, faster.
?In the past 2 weeks, we launched two new vaccination sites in KwaZulu Natal (KZN) – one at the Virgin Active Pavilion in Durban, and the second at Park Square in Umhlanga. With a site capacity of approximately 2 200 vaccinations per day, Park Square is one of the largest vaccinations sites in KZN. Both sites are open seven days a week and add to Discovery’s commitment to contributing to the success of our country’s mass vaccination campaign.
I have witnessed, first-hand, the way in which solidarity and collaboration between the public and private healthcare sectors has accelerated our country’s mass vaccination campaign. As it stands, at peak, public sector sites have capacity for 205 000 daily vaccinations, while private sector sites are able to achieve 120 000 vaccinations per day.
Vaccinating 50% of adults over age 35 by the end of August
We are working closely with both the National Department of Health and with respective Provincial Departments in the running of all Discovery-run sites. So far, over 350 000 vaccines have been administered at our sites, which are located in Gauteng (five venues) and the Western Cape (two venues). All Discovery vaccination sites offer free vaccination, whether individuals who attend have medical insurance or not.
The National Department of Health is also working closely with Business for South Africa to ensure that 50% of people over the age of 35 have at least one vaccine dose by the end of August. This trajectory stands us in good stead to vaccinate the country’s willing adult population by the end of the year - vaccinating 41.7 million individuals in the process.?
We need to vaccinate more people, faster.
For now, the South African vaccination programme has seen just over 9 million people receive at least one vaccine dose, effectively reaching over 17% of the adult population. As much as this is a great success, we cannot rest on our laurels.
Data show that 18.21% of eligible individuals have been vaccinated. This means that our vaccine penetration rate is at worryingly low levels. Given the intensity of the very recent third wave of infection and spread of the highly transmissible delta variant, we need to vaccinate more people, faster.
?National target: 300?000 vaccines administered daily
?We’ve seen an acceleration in delivery of vaccines to South Africa, and we must ensure a parallel and exponential increase in the number of vaccinations currently administered to reach the national target of 300?000 vaccines administered daily.
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Reaching these levels of vaccine penetration is the best possible pathway to ensuring heightened levels of protection from serious COVID-19 illness for ourselves, our loved ones and our communities.
?What could be slowing down our vaccination efforts?
The “National Income Dynamics Study (NIDS) – Coronavirus Rapid Mobile Survey (CRAM), published on 8 July, indicates that, in April and May, 76% of South African adults surveyed intend to get vaccinated. The remaining quarter of participants expressing concerns around vaccine safety. Study authors put it well: “It is vital to understand the underlying concerns motivating beliefs that vaccinations are unsafe, so that such misinformation and fears can be addressed via coordinated public messaging campaigns.”
Promising Sisonke trial study findings show both the safety and efficacy of the single-dose Johnson & Johnson (J&J) vaccine
Promising data has emerged from the South African Medical Research Council’s study of the Sisonke trial, in which just under 480?000 local healthcare workers received the single-dose J&J vaccine. Analysis shows that in vaccinated healthcare workers, there is up to 71% protection against severe illness and hospitalization and up to 95% protection against death. Also, 96% of breakthrough infections (infections post vaccination) were mild, 3% moderate and less than 0.05% severe or critical.
?Importantly the study found that the J&J vaccine has an excellent safety profile while also offering good immediate and sustained immune responses against the Delta variant (with immune protection lasting up to eight months).
?Broadly speaking, there is ample evidence that the J&J and Pfizer-BioNtech vaccines are both effective against the Delta variant.??
?These messages, along with confirmation of the rarity of severe side effects relating to either vaccine, are central to the ensuring that COVID-19 vaccine-hesitant adults make informed choices around being vaccinated.
?The right information brings us all closer to benefiting from heightened COVID-19 immunity on a national scale in the face of an ongoing pandemic, closer to saving lives and to accelerating our economic recovery.
Senior Equity Analyst at Eiger Capital
2 年Ryan Noach Interesting that we are so pro the Covid vaccine and yet your medical aid plans don’t cover vaccinations for children. You may argue that we can use government stock but that has often run out or is in short supply. Bit hypocritical if you ask me - especially with the resurgence of Polio and the likes offshore.
Branch Administrator at Absa
2 年@
NE director and advisor (Self-employed)
2 年These latest variants are so mild that I don’t think there’s any imperative to vaccinate. I speak from personal experience and from that of many friends
financial advisor
2 年@
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2 年Morning Ryan Noach Im a nurse on vaccination project that are assisting DOH, we were assigned to go to school and vaccinate school kids that are eligible age 12 to 17 Pfizer only to the kids that have signed consent forms by the parents or legal guardians, they received first dose Pfizer with a returning date after 21days, ithink school corodinators in different schools should check go through and check if the kids did receive their second doses as required and remember we have new ones that are turning 12years too, my concern is the number of undocumented immigrants that we just started giving vaccine, what i saw not long we were at maponya mall it was a pop-up site that day Sundowns was giving free tickets to get to the stadium only to people who got vaccinated.. on that day that i noted mostly were males that receive vaccine for the very first time...not guaranteed what so ever if they will be going back for second dose of Pfizer, we still have people out there that not interested in getting vaccinated, there's still a lot of work to be done to encourage all eligible citizens and undocumented immigrants to go back for the second dose or for booster doses ... DOH should intervene so we can save and protect people.