Covid vaccine roll-out comes to Constantia Valley
With the surge in new Covid-19 cases, President Cyril Ramaphosa announced a move from level 1 to level 2 of lockdown on Sunday May 30.
Although the Western Cape has over 4 131 active Covid-19 infections, the province has not officially entered a third wave. Nevertheless, many are on edge and either impatiently waiting for an SMS telling them when or where to have a vaccination or searching for a place to get one.
On Tuesday June 1, mayoral committee member for community services and health, Dr Zahid Badroodien, advised the public to not visit vaccination sites unless they have received their confirmation SMS and to contact the provincial call centre at 0860 142 142 if they have questions.
According to the provincial government’s Covid-19 data, there are 4 053 active cases in the province (with 48 911 in South Africa), with 11 820 deaths (56 601 in South Africa). So far, 134 155 people have been vaccinated in the province.
Dr Badroodien said just over 42% of people aged 60+ had registered to be vaccinated in the metropole. About 28% of the province’s Covid-19 deaths have been in the 61-to-70 age group.
In the Constantia Valley, the total active coronavirus cases so far in the southern suburbs is 496. The total current active cases by suburb and town in the Constantia valley are Plumstead with 911, followed by Tokai at 406, Diep River at 316, Southfield with 299, Constantia at 293 and Bergvliet at 265.
In the Constantia Valley, only Lady Michaelis hospital and Clicks at Constantia and Blue Route Mall are registered to provide the vaccine. Clicks is vaccinating after hours and at weekends.
Head of the provincial Department of Health, Dr Keith Cloete, said people were being sent to a site, private or government, that was closest to them.
Dr Cloete said their teams would now be working to align the registrations with the scheduling, to give a three- to seven-day lead time at sites selected close to where the person lived.
The roll-out of vaccinations began at retirement villages in the Constantia Valley on Monday.
Mike Vietri, the chief executive officer of the Faircape Health Group, said Tokai Estate residents were vaccinated on Monday and at Cle Du Cap on Tuesday.
Trevor and Su Quirk thanked Faircape for organising the vaccination roll-out at Tokai Estate. “It was a painless exercise and extremely efficient. We were most impressed with the organisation, and it reaffirmed our privilege to be part of this community,” said Mr Quirk.
Jen and Dave Lewis, of Tokai Estate, said they had received VIP treatment and the team behind the roll-out was impressive and efficient.
Anne Horne also complimented the Tokai Estate team for an efficient roll-out and the Eggs Benedict that followed.
Evergreen Lifestyle managing director Garry Reed said they had started vaccinating their residents and front-line staff on Monday May 31. Mr Reed said their nursing staff were trained and were now qualified vaccinators. They would now like to register as an “outreach site” to give the vaccine to those in the surrounding community who were registered to receive it.
At Plumstead Rusoord, health-care manager Shenice Weitz said some residents had had the vaccine and that all residents were registered with the Department of Health to get it.
Head of nursing at Anchusa CPOA, Louise Nix, said residents in four homes had been vaccinated so far. “We have received confirmatory dates for another three which will be happening this week. For the balance of the 18 centres, including Anchusa, we still await confirmation,” said Ms Nix.
You can register for phase 2 of the vaccine roll-out on Electronic Vaccination Data System (EVDS) https://vaccine.enroll.health.gov.za/#/
