Volkswagen Group SA (VWSA) in Kariega has opened its Covid-19 vaccination centre, which saw more than 400 employees receive their jabs in the first week.
The centre, which was set up at the VW PeoplePavilion near the plant in Kariega, began administering the Pfizer vaccines to employees on August 2. In its first week, the centre vaccinated 426 employees, with plans to vaccinate 150 employees a day from this week onwards.
VWSA chair and MD Dr Robert Cisek said the centre played an important role in the company’s duty to safeguard its employees against Covid-19.
“VWSA has played an instrumental role in the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic so far. As one of the largest employers in the Eastern Cape, we take seriously the responsibility of protecting our employees and the community against Covid-19.
“This vaccination centre is an important part of fulfilling that duty and I am proud of each employee who supports us in our duty by choosing to vaccinate,” Cisek said.
Volkswagen SA opens Covid-19 vaccination centre in Eastern Cape
Volkswagen Group SA (VWSA) in Kariega has opened its Covid-19 vaccination centre, which saw more than 400 employees receive their jabs in the first week.
The centre, which was set up at the VW PeoplePavilion near the plant in Kariega, began administering the Pfizer vaccines to employees on August 2. In its first week, the centre vaccinated 426 employees, with plans to vaccinate 150 employees a day from this week onwards.
VWSA chair and MD Dr Robert Cisek said the centre played an important role in the company’s duty to safeguard its employees against Covid-19.
“VWSA has played an instrumental role in the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic so far. As one of the largest employers in the Eastern Cape, we take seriously the responsibility of protecting our employees and the community against Covid-19.
“This vaccination centre is an important part of fulfilling that duty and I am proud of each employee who supports us in our duty by choosing to vaccinate,” Cisek said.
The process to establish the vaccination centre started a few months ago after the centre was approved and accredited by the department of health as a workplace vaccination site.
The centre is staffed with two administrators and four professional nurses, some of whom are contract staff and some from the company’s wellness centre.
At the current pace and envisaged planning, it is expected to take 16 working days to vaccinate all willing employees who have not yet received both doses of the vaccine.
Once done with employees, the company plans to expand the vaccination programme to VWSA’s on-site service providers and then VWSA employees’ loved ones who live with them.
The vaccination centre functions separately from the Covid-19 testing facility which was set up by VWSA in 2020, and which continues to provide free drive-through Covid-19 testing for employees in Kariega.
By the end of last week, the facility had performed more than 6,800 tests.
HeraldLIVE
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