| By: Lunga Memela (Communication Engagement Lead)
The elderly queuing up for COVID-19 jabs at one of KwaZulu-Natal's active sites The Health Systems Trust (HST) is upholding its primary health care philosophy, assisting KwaZulu-Natal's Department of Health (KZN DoH) with the roll-out of COVID-19 vaccinations at three of eThekwini Municipality's active sites: Pinetown, the Moses Mabhida Stadium and Amanzimtoti Civic Centre Hall. October kicked off with the massive launch of South Africa's Vooma Vaccination Weekend across all provinces from 1 to 3 October. The turnout at various vaccination sites was welcomed by the country's President Cyril Ramaphosa who applauded the more than 353 000 people who heeded the call to receive jabs against COVID-19 during that weekend. Published by news24 on Friday, 15 October, one of the latest COVID-19 related announcements has been that children aged 12 to 17 will be eligible for vaccine jabs from today, 20 October 2021. "Should my teen have a vaccine?" Dr Sheri Fanaroff motivates why in an article published in the SACoronavirus portal.
As District Support Partner to the KZN DoH for various TB and HIV programmes, HST has assisted in the rollout of the vaccination effort, and the COVID-19 vaccine drive has been high on the agenda – all in an effort to make sure that each of the three pandemics are slowed down for the greater good of the country's public health.
 Ayanda Takawira
| “It’s been quite intriguing to work actively on
the vaccine drive,” says HST’s Data Quality Mentor, Ayanda Takawira, who has
been based at Moses Mabhida Stadium vaccine site. She said it’s a good day for
the country’s overall health system now that COVID-19 vaccination is now
available for youngsters 12 years and older. “It’s almost exam time at school,
and you find that learners aren’t always socially distanced inside the exam
rooms. It’s much better to have everybody vaccinated so that we have less
chance for the transmission of the disease.”
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Ayanda’s sentiments are shared by HST’s Company
Agent, Lungelo Joka, who specialises in HIV contact tracing. He said he
witnessed an impressive turnout of citizens who showed up to receive their
COVID-19 jabs in Pinetown; however, the numbers dropped when the vaccine drive
was made accessible to individuals 18-years and older. He says he hopes to see
more and more youngsters showing up for vaccination, and not being discouraged
to do so by anti-vaccine rumours constantly making their rounds on social media
platforms.
|  Lungelo Joka
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As more and more South Africans become eligible to receive their jabs across provinces and vaccine sites, it is important for civilians to keep their eyes on the country's Electronic Vaccination Data System (EVDS) Self-Registration App https://sacoronavirus.co.za/evds/. The COVID-19 Public Hotline is 0800 029 999. The WhatsApp Support Line is 0600-123456;for more information simply visit: info@vaccinesupport.org.za. Also visit the country's official coronavirus website to keep abreast with the information related to the virus as well as the latest COVID-19 figures: https://sacoronavirus.co.za/. #StayHome #StaySafe #StayHealthy #VacciNation
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