5 February 2021 Media Release: Garden Route Health Platform Update

5 February 2021

The Garden Route District has recorded a 35% decrease in active COVID-19 cases the last 7 days compared to 7 – 14 days ago.

The latest stats for 5 February 2021.

Vaccine

The first of 1 995 vaccinators from all corners of the health system in the Western Cape have started with training towards administering the COVID-19 vaccine.

The training will equip them with adequate knowledge and skills to ensure safe and efficient COVID-19 vaccine administration. These vaccinators are the backbone of our vaccination programme and will be a major asset in ensuring that as many people as possible are reached within the shortest possible time, with safety and due process at the heart of the roll out.

The number of vaccinators that need to be trained is determined by the NDOH – one vaccinator can vaccinate between 40 to 50 people per day. It is estimated that 414 vaccinators are required for phase one. As the number of people needing to be vaccinated increases in phases 2 and 3, our number of vaccinators will also increase.

Healthcare workers have years of training, experience, and knowledge on administering vaccines. Therefore, the focus of this training will be on specific information related to the COVID-19 vaccine – including the handling, storage, research, product information, data management and reporting aspects of this vaccine.

Healthcare workers are at higher risk of COVID-19 infection and illness. That is why they have been prioritised to get a COVID-19 vaccine when it will be administered in the coming months. Information sessions will continue at health facilities to equip health workers with all the relevant information regarding the vaccine in order for them to make an informed choice.

“I will definitely take the vaccine, particularly because I’ve previously had COVID and I really don’t want to get it again. Also, both my parents are older than 60 years and are on chronic medication and therefore I  rather want to be safe than unnecessarily put their lives at risk”, said Allinda Van Blerk, Assistant Director: Support Services at George Hospital.

Professional Nurse, Asekhona Matinise from Kwanokuthula community day centre will also be getting a COVID-19 vaccine. “I need to protect myself”.

Sr Roslyn Broster is responsible for the day-to-day running of the Virus Testing Unit (VTU) at the George Hospital, and is a COVID-19 survivor herself. She says that she will definitely get the vaccine as she does not want to get sick with COVID again. Broster mentioned that at first she was a bit sceptical about the vaccine, but after speaking to a friend who is a health care worker in Canada who got immunized, aside from the usual flu, experienced no side effects. This has convinced her to also get the vaccine. “  As health care workers we have to do everything in our power to protect ourselves as there is still a long way to go”.

Feature photo: Sr Asekhona Matinise will get the vaccine to protect herself.

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Nadia Ferreira
Principal Communications Officer
Garden Route and Central Karoo Districts
Western Cape Government Health
Town Clinic, Plettenberg Bay
Tel: 076 379 5423
Email: Nadia.Ferreira@westerncape.gov.za
Website: www.westerncape.gov.za