Poor turnout at Vooma drive

WESTERN CAPE NEWS - The Western Cape administered 59 429 vaccines over last weekend, the first of the Vooma Vaccination weekends.

Nadia Ferreira, district spokesperson for the Western Cape Department of Health, said the Garden Route contribution to this total was 1 104, of which 146 were done at Harry Comay Hospital.

"Although we were hoping to administer more vaccines, people still put in the effort despite very cold and rainy weather this weekend."

The national health department will announce the date of the next Vooma Vaccination Weekend. The Garden Route District does have vaccination sites that are regularly open on Saturdays. "We do find though that the turn-out is poor at most sites," said Ferreira.

She stressed that vaccination will reduce a person's chances of severe symptoms or death.

"Western Cape Government Health aims to fully vaccinate 70% of those over 50 years old by December and 70% of those 18 to 49 years of age with at least one dose.

December is our target because we want to ensure that we all have a summer that we can look forward to. It is very important that residents who have decided to get vaccinated do not delay their first vaccination much longer."

If you want to be fully vaccinated by 1 December, you have to:

Receive your first dose of Pfizer no later than 20 October.
Receive your second dose 42 days later. This means that you will have received your second dose by 1 December at the latest.

"It takes approximately two weeks from full vaccination (after your second jab) for you to develop maximum immune protection," said Ferreira. "This means if you get your second jab on 1 December, you will have the best possible protection from around 14 December - just around the time that many people have planned to start their festive season plans."

Some of the stakeholders visiting the Harry Comay hospital. Photos: Eugene Gunning