President Cyril Ramaphosa has dismissed rumours that the COVID 19 vaccination program will be compulsory for all citizens. This as the first batch of AstraZeneca doses arrived at the OR Tambo International Airport India on Monday.
The first one million shots of the vaccine will be used to inoculate healthcare workers amid a surge in infections fuelled by a new variant of the coronavirus.
President Cyril Ramaphosa addresses the nation:
Vaccine roll-out
The President says provincial health departments have submitted their distribution plans.
“We have identified about 200 facilities throughout the country through which the vaccines can be distributed. Healthcare workers will be the first to receive the vaccine.
“ Once we have completed the vaccination of healthcare workers, we will move to phase two of the national vaccine strategy which will include essential workers, people over 60 years, people with comorbidities, in other words, other health challenges. In phase three we will extend the vaccination process to the rest of the adult population.”
According to the President, the changes have been made possible by the significant reduction in COVID-19 hospital admissions across all provinces.
Ban on alcohol sale and distribution lifted
Following days of consultations with experts and representatives of provincial and local government and traditional leaders, Ramaphosa says the sale of alcohol by licensed premises for on-site consumption such as restaurants and taverns will be permitted throughout the week from 10 am to 10 pm.
He says the sale of alcohol by licensed premises for off-site consumption will be permitted from Mondays to Thursdays, from 10 am to 6 pm.
“Duty-free shops, registered wineries, wine farms, micro-breweries, and micro-distilleries will be able to sell alcohol for off-site consumption during their normal licensed operating hours.”
He has attributed easing of restrictions to the lowest daily infections recorded since December last year. Ramaphosa says this is an indication that the country has passed the peak of the second wave.
Vaccine roll-out
The president this afternoon received the first batch of the coronavirus vaccine. He says provincial health departments have submitted their distribution plans.
“We have identified about 200 facilities throughout the country through which the vaccines can be distributed. Healthcare workers will be the first to receive the vaccine. “ Once we have completed the vaccination of healthcare workers, we will move to phase two of the national vaccine strategy which will include essential workers, people over 60 years, people with comorbidities in other words, other health challenges. In phase three we will extend the vaccination process to the rest of the adult population. “
The Department of Health has developed an electronic data system to capture data associated with the administration of the rollout of the vaccine. “ This system allows a person to make an appointment as soon as they qualify for vaccination at a vaccine centre closest to where they are. The system will record vaccinations as they administered.”
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