The South African Medical Research Council says the vaccination of both private and public sector health care workers is crucial in the fight against COVID19. Its President, Professor Glenda Gray, was among speakers at the launch of the first vaccination centre in the private sector at Melomed Hospital in Gatesville in Cape Town. Gray says a number of health care workers in the private sector have died of the virus.
The Garden Route will today receive its first batch of the COVID-19 vaccine. Selected healthcare workers from both the public and private sector will be vaccinated during Phase 1 of the vaccine roll-out. The first vaccination will be administered at the George Hospital. The region has previously been a Covid-19 hotspot during the 2nd wave of the pandemic.
Meanwhile, Deputy Health Minister Dr Joe Phaahla says government has not prevented the private sector from purchasing coronavirus vaccines. He says it is the manufacturers who choose to work directly with government in procuring Covid-19 vaccines.
Afriforum and trade union Solidarity have called on government to allow the private sector to purchase and distribute coronavirus vaccines. The groups recently approached the high court to force government to give clarity on the legality of the state’s centralisation of the rollout of the Covid-19 vaccine.
Source: SABC News